OUR  ftMSSiON  FiELD 
IN  INDIA 


JUN  1?   1998 


BV  3265  .S53  1921 
Sheatsley,  Clarence 

Valentine,  1873-1943. 
Our  mission  field  in  India 


Our  Mission  Field 
in  India 


THE    REPORT 

OF 

REV.  C.  V.  SHEATSLEY 

COMMISSIONER 


On  the  India  Field  from  July  15  to 
December  1,  1920 


Published  by  authority  of  the  Board  of  Foreign 
I  Missions  of  the  Evangelical  Lutheran 

Joint  Synod  of  Ohio 


COLUMBUS.  OHIO 
LUTHERAN   BOOK  CONCERN 

1921 


OF  pmcTr^ 

JUN    12  1998 

2!'fOtOGICALSE*\^ 


FOREWORD 

INFORMATION.  This  is  not  an  ordinary  report. 
It  is  the  Official  Report  made  to  the  Board  of 
Foreign  Missions  of  the  Joint  Synod  by  the 
commissioner  whom  the  board  sent  to  India  in  1920 
to  investigate  conditions  and  prepare  the  way  for  re- 
construction and  expansion.  The  information  here 
given  is  valuable  not  only  to  the  board  but  to  all  our 
people.  Hence  it  is  published  in  book  form  and  made 
accessible  to  all.  The  readers  of  our  church  papers 
will  be  glad  to  receive  such  full  and  intimate  informa- 
tion on  our  field  brought  down  to  date. 

Opportunity.  Our  fifteen  years  of  investiga- 
tion and  discussion  and  seven  years  of  trial  and  delay 
have  been  followed  by  an  open  door  and  an  oppor- 
tunity far  exceeding  our  expectations.  The  field  that 
is  calling  to  us  for  workers  and  equipment  is  five 
times  as  large  as  the  portion  we  took  over  by  purchase 
in  ir)T2.  There  is  no  other  church  body  that  is  now 
called  to  carr\-  on  tlie  work  of  the  Gospel  among  the 
million  heathen  within  this  territory.  As  you  read  the 
detailed  description  of  our  commissioner,  you  will  be 
impressed  with  the  fact  that  the  Lord  is  clearly  giving 
us  the  command  :     Go  forward ! 

Responsibility.  To  whom  much  is  given,  of 
him  will  much  be  required.  Our  synod  numbers  near- 
ly a  quarter  of  a  million  baptized  members.  In  ad- 
dition to  our  extended  home  mission  work,  the  work 

(3) 


4  OUR    MISSION    FIELD   IN    INDIA 

of  our  educational  institutions  for  the  training  of 
ministers  and  Christian  leaders,  and  all  our  other 
church  work  here  at  home,  the  Lord  has  now  laid 
upon  us  the  obligation  to  carry  the  Gospel  of  salvation 
to  a  million  people  groping  in  the  night  and  the  blight 
of  heathenism.  Are  we  equal  to  the  task?  That 
question  is  answered  by  the  spirit  of  our  response  to 
the  other  simple  question :  Shall  we  fearlessly  and 
faithfully  meet  the  opportunity  which  the  Lord  in  His 
providence  has  given  us  and  the  corresponding  obli- 
gation which  He  thus  lays  upon  us? 

Read  and  re-read  and  meditate  upon  the  chapter 
of  ''Recommendations."  They  are  not  merely  the 
recommendations  of  our  commissioner,  but  are  the 
resolutions  of  the  Council  of  our  missionaries  in 
India,  assembled  in  consultation  with  the  commis- 
sioner. They  lay  before  us  a  workable  program  for 
the  near  and  more  remote  future.  Some  of  the  recom- 
mendations are  now  being  carried  into  effect.  Others 
will  be  realized  according  to  the  largeness  of  our 
prayers  and  the  ampleness  of  our  gifts. 

Information  —  Opportunity  —  Responsibility: 
Three  factors  that  are  vital  and  indispensable  to  prog- 
ress in  the  work  of  the  Lord.  You  have  them  here 
plainly  set  before  you  in  their  application  to  our  India 
Mission.  May  growing  interest  in  the  distant  field 
bear  fruit  an  hundredfold  in  enlarged  participation  in 
all  our  synodical  enterprises. 

Edward  Pfeiffer, 
President  of  the  Board. 


CHAPTER  I 
General  Conditions   in   India 

INDIA,  like  most  countries  of  the  world  at  the 
present  time,  is  somewhat  in  a  state  of  unrest. 
As  we  should  suppose,  she  too  has  been  affected 
by  the  World  War.  During  the  great  struggle  her 
native  population  came  into  contact  with  the  outside 
world  more  perhaps  than  ever  before.  Her  sons 
have  had  glimpses  of  Western  society,  civilization, 
and  even  barbarism,  and,  for  better  or  for  worse,  they 
have  returned  to  the  home-land  bearing  indelible  im- 
pressions of  what  they  have  seen  and  heard.  Some 
have  become  restive  and  are  agitating  having  their 
own  country  become  like  the  great  and  more  demo- 
cratic nations  of  the  West.  Others  have  turned  away 
in  disgust,  and  are  more  than  ever  satisfied  with  the 
Hindu  religion,  the  caste,  and  the  civilization  of  India. 
Because  of  these  conditions  there  prevails  in  all  circles 
certain  disturbances  that  are  affecting  not  only  the 
economic,  but  also  the  civil  and  religious  life  of  the 
people. 

This  does  not  mean  that  India  is  in  a  state  of 
revolution,  as  the  term  is  usually  applied.  We  may 
say,  however,  that  a  rather  quiet  transformation  is 
going  on,  and  that  gradually  India  will  emerge  from 
the  lethargy,  and  incoherence  of  the  ages  and  recognize 
herself,  as  well  as  be  recognized,  as  a  people  capable 

(5) 


6  OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 

of  greater  achievement  than  has  hitherto  been  thought 
possible. 

True,  we  do  hear  of  disturbances  here  and  there 
in  the  land  that  are  somewhat  disquieting,  and  that 
would  seem  to  indicate  that  bloodshed  and  violence 
are  to  be  the  weapons  of  an  impending  overthrow. 
But  these  sporadic  outbreaks,  it  seems  to  us,  cannot 
mean  in  India  what  they  might  mean  in  a  land  of 
more  capable  and  aggressive  leadership  and  more 
complete  organization. 

We  hear  a  great  deal  just  now  of  Mr.  Gandhi 
and  his  co-revolutionists,  with  their  program  of  non- 
cooperation  with  the  government,  and  their  agitation 
in  favor  of  home-rule  for  India.  While  in  the  ab- 
stract this  program  would  be  highly  revolutionary  in 
a  dominion,  as  for  instance  Canada,  yet  we  cannot 
think  that  in  a  practical  way  it  will  seriously  under- 
mine the  functions  and  powers  of  the  government 
among  a  people  so  dependent  and  patronizing  as  the 
average  Indian.  But  the  movement  must  needs  be 
reckoned  with,  and  its  ultimate  goal,  greater  freedom 
or  independence,  may,  in  part  at  least,  be  attained, 
since  the  British  government  seems  to  be  rather  liber- 
ally inclined  towards  Her  subjects  in  the  India  domain. 
But  not  only  from  the  Gandhi  party  but  also  from 
more  conservative  quarters  come  plans  and  programs 
which  are  meant  to  urge  the  Indians  to  greater  self- 
help,  if  not  to  self-government.  Out  of  all  this  fer- 
ment something  will  ultimately  come,  even  in  India ; 
and   the   missionary   must   have   an   open   eye   and   a 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 


8  OUR    MISSION   FIELD   IN   INDIA 

Steady  hand  when  such  threatening  movements  sweep 
athwart  the  land. 

But  our  concern  in  this  report  is  not  primarily 
with  the  affairs  of  the  Government,  but  with  the  con- 
dition of  the  Christian  Church,  and  more  especially, 
of  our  own  mission  work  in  India.  We  have  men- 
tioned the  conditions  existing  in  the  state  that  we 
may  not  be  surprised  when  we  learn  that  the  same 
spirit  of  unrest  and  revolution  is  also  at  work  in  the 
Church!  An  autonomous  church  is  the  goal  of  many 
aspiring  and  zealous  Indian  Christians.  In  the  words 
of  one  of  our  own  mission  workers :  "The  Indian 
Christian  Church  as  a  whole  is  now  in  a  period  of 
transition.  Indians  are  aspiring  to  have  a  hand  in 
the  administration  of  the  church  as  an  executive  body, 
and  to  enter  into  the  inner  councils  of  the  missionaries ; 
and,  therefore,  we  wish  you  would  not  lose  any  op- 
portunity to  train  us  up  so  that  in  the  fullness  of  time 
Indians  and  foreigners  may  do  the  noble  work  of 
the  Mission  together  like  brothers." 

This  aspiration,  when  moving  within  proper  limi- 
tations, is  certainly  to  be  commended  rather  than 
censured.  It  indicates  that  a  part,  at  least,  of  the 
purpose  of  Christian  missions  is  being  realized,  and 
that  the  mission  church  is  to  become  self-sustaining, 
and  in  turn  to  become  a  home  base  for  further  foreign 
effort. 

We  must  take  account  of  this  waking  up.  While 
there  is  no  doubt  but  that,  to  some  extent,  it  has  been 
caught  up  and  carried  on  by  the  revolutionary  whirl- 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD   IN    INDIA  9 

wind  sweeping  'round  the  earth,  yet  Uke  all  world 
movements  it  has  something  in  it  that  marks  a  dis- 
tinct advancement  and  should  be  nurtured  and  con- 
served to  the  up-building  and  extension  of  the  Lord's 
kingdom. 

How  glad  we  are  in  the  home  field  when  people 
want  to  help  carry  on  the  work  of  the  Church.  How 
much  more  should  we  not  rejoice  when  out  in  the  for- 
eign field  hearts  and  hands  are  willing,  yea  eager,  to 
help  along?  And  especially  in  India,  where  in  the 
past  so  very  little  effort  at  self-help  has  come  from 
the  native  population  should  we  welcome  the  stir 
in  the  leaves  as  a  sign  of  the  Spirit's  presence. 

We  will  watch  with  great  interest  the  trials  that 
are  being  made  of  the  autonomous  church,  in  both 
north  and  south  India,  especially  in  the  (jossner  field 
of  the  Lutheran  Church  in  the  North  and  in  a  Church 
of  England  field  in  the  South.  Some  mistakes  will,  no 
doubt,  be  made;  but  do  we  not  find  that  among  the 
most  capable,  mistakes  in  policy  and  administration 
are  often  made?  Let  us  not  expect  perfection  among 
Indians  when  Europeans  and  Americans  are  full  of 
imperfections.     Let  us  be  fair. 

In  a  subsequent  part  of  this  report  we  will  have 
occasion  to  refer  to  a  bit  of  self -regulation  which  we 
in  our  mission  have  entrusted  to  our  Indian  brethren. 

In  an  economic  way  India  is  still  very  poor.  The 
great  mass  of  her  population  lives  but  a  few  meals 
removed  from  famine  and  starvation,  even  in  fairly 
prosperous  years.     About  one-fifth  of  the  population, 


lO 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 


Church  at  Puttur. 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA  II 

or  60  million  people,  lie  down  hungry  every  night; 
and  when  dread  famine  stalks  in  the  land,  (and  there 
seems  to  be  famine  somewhere  all  the  time),  its 
victims  perish  by  the  thousands  in  their  hovels  or  by 
the  wayside. 

When  going  to  India  I  was  prepared  to  meet  a 
poor  people,  but  I  was  not  prepared  to  see  the  abject 
poverty  of  the  average  village  family.  I  do  not  mean 
that  they  were  all  crying  for  food.  In  most  cases 
ihey  seemed  to  have  approximately  enough  to  eat, 
but  Oh!  the  poor  primitive  condition  of  the  homes 
and  the  people.  1  am  sure  the  entire  household  furni- 
ture and  equipment  could  be  bought  for  less  than  tive 
dollars,  and  most  Americans  could  not  use  any  of  it 
at  any  price.  But  for  ages  the  people  have  lived  thus 
and  most  of  them  seem  quite  content  thus  to  continue, 
for,  as  they  say,  "It  has  been  our  custom."  Some- 
times we  hardly  know  whether  the  universal  explana- 
tion for  everything:  "It  is  our  custom,"  is  a  bane 
or  a  blessing.  Bane  it  is  when  it  stifles  })rogress,  effort 
and  initiative ;  blessing  indeed,  when  it  makes  people 
content  with  conditions  that,  at  best,  will  require  gen- 
erations of  effort  to  change. 

Before  I  left  America  some  well-meaning  and 
benevolent  friends  suggested  that  it  might  be  well  to 
bring  a  number  of  the  brighter  Indian  boys  to  our 
own  cou.ntrs\  educate  them,  and  then  send  them  back 
to  their  kindred  and  brethren  to  work  among  them 
and  to  inspire  and  help  them  to  higher  ideals.  I  now 
think  this  would  be  a  colossal  blunder.     The  foreign 


12  OUR   MISSION   FIELD   IN   INDIA 

educated  boys  would  likely  go  home  and  at  once  ex- 
press dissatisfaction  with  their  surroundings.  They 
would  want  different  houses,  different  food,  and  dit- 
ferent  clothes,  and  yet  with  the  means  at  hand  how 
could  these  things  be  provided  ?  The  whole  procedure 
would  only  create  trouble  and  bring  greater  distress. 

We  have  every  reason  to  believe  that  with  the 
preaching  and  teaching  of  the  Gospel  among  this  peo- 
ple the  results  which  will  gradually  follow  will  be  the 
laying  aside  of  caste,  superstition  and  idolatry.  A 
new  vision  of  life  and  death,  of  things  present  and 
things  to  come,  will  be  gained,  and  in  everything  there 
will  be  a  gradual  rising  to  better  conditions  and  higher 
aspirations. 

It  would  not  do  to  lift  these  peuple  suddenly  out 
of  their  present  conditions  and  place  them  in  a  new 
environment.  The  people  would  not  know  what  to 
do.  They  would  know  neither  where  to  begin,  nor 
where  to  end.  They  would  be  like  their  black  ants 
when  a  barrier  is  suddenly  placed  in  their  well-worn 
path.  They  would  at  once  become  utterly  confused 
and  run  about  hysterically  until  one  of  them  would 
stumble  into  the  old  path  again. 

It  is  difficult  for  us  Americans,  who  have  been 
reared  in  the  machine  age,  to  keep  from  suggesting  or 
actually  installing  labor-saving  machinery  in  the  place 
of  the  primitive,  slow,  laborious  way  of  doing  things. 
Instead  of  women  grading  a  railway  or  wagon  road- 
bed by  carrying  the  ground  from  an  adjoining  field  in 
baskets  on  their  heads,  we  would  naturally  think  a 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA  I3 

big  steam  shovel  should  be  installed  to  make  the  dirt 
fly.  And  in  that  way,  we  reason,  three  men  could 
do  the  work  of  three  hundred  men  and  women.  But 
then  arise  the  questions:  ''How  will  you  employ  the 
three  hundred?  How  are  they  to  earn  a  few  cents 
that  they  may  buy  bread  ?''  The  answer  to  these  ques- 
tions at  once  scraps  the  greatest  labor-saving  machine 
that  was  ever  made  for  India.  For  in  India,  with  her 
()\-er-population  and  her  scarcity  of  natural  resources, 
work  must  be  made  instead  of  saved. 

Providing  honorable  employment  is  one  of  the 
problems  facing  practically  all  Christian  missions  in 
India.  If  the  people  do  not  have  employment  prac- 
tically all  the  time,  they  at  once  become  beggars  and 
public  charges.  And  already  there  are  entirely  too 
many  mendicants  in  the  land.  In  my  investigations 
the  most  difficult  problem  with  which  I  had  to  deal 
was  the  economic  one.  It  really  baffles  solution.  In 
discussing  the  question  with  mission  leaders  and  others 
the  end  of  the  matter  was  usually  something  like  this : 
''Well,  I  don't  understand  how  they  do  it,  but  some- 
how the  people  seem  to  get  along."  The  multitude, 
like  the  one  of  old,  seems  to  be  fed  from  five  loaves 
and  two  small  fishes.  We  don't  know  how  it  is  being 
done,  but  the  good  Lord  is  doing  it  every  day. 

Another  condition  existing  in  India  that  must  be 
constantly  reckoned  with,  especially  by  the  Christian 
missionary,  is  Caste.  Like  a  baneful  disease,  it  has 
fastened   itself   upon   the   vitals   of   the   country   and 


^4 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA  I5 

must  finally  eat  itself  out,  we  hope,  to  its  own  destruc- 
tion. 

Caste  may  have  some  slight  advantages.  One 
writer  says :  "It  promotes  a  stationary  semi-civiliza- 
tion. It  binds  together  men  of  the  same  class.  It 
promotes  cleanliness.  It  is  a  check  in  certain  direc- 
tions on  moral  conduct."  But  when  we  examine  the 
counts  against  the  system,  it  presents  a  sorry  aspect. 

An  Indian  writer,  Keshub  Chunder  Sen,  in  "An 
Appeal  to  Young  India,"  says:  'That  Hindu  caste  is 
a  frightful  social  scourge  no  one  can  deny.  It  ha« 
completely  and  hopelessly  wrecked  social  unity,  har- 
mony and  happiness,  and  for  centuries  it  has  opposed 
all  social  progress.  .  .  .  When  we  view  it  on  moral 
grounds  it  appears  as  a  scandal  to  conscience,  and  an 
insult  to  humanity.  .  .  .  Caste  is  the  bulwark  of 
Hindu  idolatry  and  the  safeguard  of  Brahminical 
priesthood.  It  is  an  audacious  and  sacrilegious  viola- 
tion of  God's  law  and  of  human  brotherhood.  It 
makes  civil  institutions  inviolable  divine  institutions, 
and  in  the  name  of  Holy  God  sows  perpetual  discord 
and  enmity  among  His  children.  It  exalts  one  section 
of  the  people  above  the  rest,  and  gives  the  former, 
under  the  seal  of  divine  sanction,  the  monopoly  of 
education,  religion  and  all  the  advantages  of  social 
pre-eminence,  and  visits  them  with  the  arbitrary  au- 
thority of  exercising  a  tyrannical  sway  over  unfor- 
tunate and  helpless  millions  of  human  souls,  trampling 
them  under  their  feet  and  holding  them  in  a  state  of 
miserable  servitude.    It  sets  up  the  Brahminical  order 


l6  OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 

as  the  vicegerents  of  the  Deity,  and  stamps  the  mass 
of  the  population  as  a  degraded  and  unclean  race, 
unworthy  of  manhood  and  unfit  for  heaven.'' 

With  the  above  conditions,  agitation  for  home- 
rule  in  the  state,  the  cry  in  some  sections  for  an 
autonomous  church,  the  unsatisfactory  economic  con- 
ditions, and  the  evils  of  a  caste  religion,  we  will  have 
to  deal  constantly  in  our  mission  work  in  India. 
They  are  conditions  we  cannot  ignore;  and  at  the 
same  time  we  come  up  against  great  difficulties  in 
coping  with  them.  However  we  do  not  know  of  any 
mission  field  anywhere  in  the  world  where  formidable 
obstacles  are  not  encountered  in  i>reaching  the  Gospel 
of  Christ  and  Him  crucified.  We  should  therefore 
not  become  faint-hearted  when  as  the  ambassadors  of 
Christ  we  are  called  to  stand  face  to  face  with  the 
problems  that  no  man  can  solve,  but  meet  these  prob- 
lems, sustained  by  the  assurance:  "Lo.  1  am  with 
vou  alwav,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world." 


CHAPTER  II 
Living  Conditions 

AS  already  stated  in  the  first  chapter  of  this 
report  the  common  people  in  India  are  very 
poor,  at  least  when  measured  by  western 
standards.  And  by  far  the  greater  number  of  people 
in  India  arc  common  people.  Aside  from  a  few 
nabobs,  a  few  rajahs,  and  some  merchants  who  have 
possessed  themselves  of  considerable  wealth,  there  are 
very  few  rich  men  among  the  natives.  It  might  be  a 
good  thing  that  there  are  but  few  wealthy  people  if 
this  meant  that  the  wealth  were  then  generally  dis- 
tributed. But  it  seems  there  is  not  much  to  distribute. 
The  great  mass  of  the  population  is  always  living  dan- 
gerously near  the  poverty  line. 

Nine-tenths  of  the  whole  population  live  in  vil- 
lages of  less  than  5,000  inhabitants.  Four-fifths  live 
in  villages  under  1,000  inhabitants.  The  average  vil- 
lage in  India  contains  about  365  people.  These  are 
mostly  small  farmers,  many  of  them  so  burdened  with 
debt  that  they  cannot  ever  hope  to  be  anything  but 
slaves  to  the  money  lenders.  These  conditions  being 
general,  they  prevail  also  in  our  own  mission  field. 

Let  me  describe  the  average  Indian  village  as  it 
is  to  be  found  in  our  mission  territory.  I  should  say 
about  nine-tenths  of  the  houses  are  built  of  dried 
nuid.       Indeed   I   have  been   in   many  villages   where 

(17) 


1 8  OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 

every  house  was  of  mud  and  thatched  with  straw  or 
palm  leaves.  Streets !  there  are  none ;  merely  crooked 
roads  threading  their  way  among  the  huts  and  cattle 
sheds.  Of  course  there  is  no  water  system,  except 
the  village  well,  no  sewers  and  no  lights,  a  very  dis- 
mal place  indeed  on  a  dark,  wet  night. 

But  every  village  has  its  fine  shade  trees,  perhaps 
hanyans  or  margosas.  Under  the  spreading  branches 
of  these  we  find  the  village  commons.  Here  the  chil- 
dren plav.  here  the  women  gather  for  gossip,  and  the 
men  sleep  during  the  heat  of  the  day,  or  talk  of  their 
crops  in  the  evening. 

As  for  animals  we  find  a  few  mongrel  curs,  some 
scragglv,  poorly  bred  fowls,  sheep  and  goats ;  some 
cattle  and  buffaloes  that  should  be  improved  in  blood ; 
and  a  goodly  number  of  crows  and  some  monkeys, 
with  here  and  there  a  stray  cat.  This  about  makes 
up  the  list  of  visible  animal  life.  Of  course  there 
are  some  snakes,  scorpions,  spiders,  ants,  lice ;  in  fact, 
almost  all  kinds  of  vermin  may  be  found  hiding  in  the 
nooks  and  crannies. 

Let  me  show  you  into  the  average  village  mud 
house  which  serves  as  a  home  for  the  Indian  family. 
It  is  seldom  more  than  about  sixteen  feet  square  and 
rarely  contains  more  than  one  room.  Frequently  there 
is  no  window.  If  there  is  one,  it  is  not  more  than 
a  foot  or  two  square  with  several  wooden  or  iron 
bars  across  the  opening  to  keep  out  thieves.  There 
is  never  any  glass  in  it.  Sometimes  there  is  a  real 
door  that  may  be  opened  or  closed.      Often  there  is 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 


19 


i^^' 


^m 


% 


^^^ 


'P^. 


« 


m 


20  OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 

simply  a  hole  through  the  mud  wall  for  ingress  and 
egress. 

The  floor  is  the  bare  ground  with  frequently  a 
hollowed-out  ''paddy"  stone  sunk  in  the  center.  In 
the  bowl  of  this  stone  the  grain  food  is  pounded  before 
it  is  cooked.  The  earthen  floor  is  treated,  at  least 
once  a  week,  with  a  thin  wash  of  cow  dung  for  sani- 
tary purposes.  The  one  room  serves  not  only  as 
kitchen,  dining  room,  bed  room  and  parlor,  but  the 
floor  serves  as  chairs,  table,  and  bed  as  well. 

In  one  corner  of  the  room  a  little  clay  is  banked 
up  to  form  a  stove  on  which  the  clay  cooking  pots 
are  placed  and  in  which  the  meals  are  cooked.  There 
is  no  chimney.  The  smoke  is  allowed  to  find  its  own 
way  to  the  outside  with  the  result  that  especially  when 
the  evening  meal  is  being  cooked  a  smoky  haze  hangs 
over  the  village  which  seems  to  come  from  nowhere 
or  everywhere. 

It  is  remarkable  with  how  few  vessels  and  utensils 
the  Indian  housewife  can  keep  house.  To  the  West- 
erner it  is  nothing  short  of  marvelous,  yet  in  such  a 
primitive  single  room  hovel  a  family  of  eight  or  ten 
children  will  be  reared,  and  after  the  Indian  fashion, 
successfully,  too. 

A  pole  or  two  across  the  corner  of  the  room  or  a 
mud  shelf  serve  as  clothes  press.  A  tiny  mirror,  a 
picture  of  the  British  royal  pair^  and  a  small  print  or 
two  constitute  the  adornments  of  the  room. 

If  the  family  is  a  little  better-to-do  they  have  a 
brass  water  jar  and  the  semblance  of  a  bed,  something 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA  21 

after  the  manner  of  the  old  trundle-bed  with  a  cord 
bottom.  There  is  no  bedding  for  it.  During  the  day 
it  is  usually  edged  up  in  front  of  the  house  and 
serves  as  drying  rack  for  the  few  bits  of  clothing 
that  may  have  been  washed,  on  any  day  and  at  any 
time.  Frequently  when  the  missionary  comes  the 
bed  is  cleared  and  it  is  considered  a  high  honor  if  he 
will  sit  on  the  ropes. 

Sometimes  the  nmd  is  banked  up  in  front  of  the 
house  under  the  eaves  on  each  side  of  the  doorway  and 
smoothed  off  nicely  on  top  and  allowed  to  harden.  If 
the  missionary  will  sit  on  this  bench  it  is  also  con- 
sidered an  honor  and  a  blessing  to  the  home.  No 
doubt  many  a  poor  soul  in  India  has  been  brought  to 
Christ  by  hearing  the  Gospel  preached  from  this 
humble  seat.  Sometimes  a  strong  chest  takes  the 
place  of  the  mud  bench.  In  this  box  all  the  valuables 
of  the  household  are  placed  and  the  head  of  the  house 
sleeps  on  the  lid  at  night.  This  is  for  safety's  sake. 
There  are  no  dining  tables,  dishes,  or  knives  and 
forks  in  the  village  Indian  home.  Yes,  among  the 
Christians  there  is  a  small  pewter,  brass  or  porcelain 
bowl  for  each  larger  member  of  the  family  and  one 
knife  for  the  whole  household.  The  Hindus  and 
Mohammedans  eat  from  tree  leaves  instead  of  from 
plates  or  bowls.  Anything  that  has  been  eaten  out 
of  once  is  considered  by  them  unclean  thereafter. 
However  they  too,  always  eat  with  their  fingers. 

But  here !  What  shall  we  say  to  this  ?  In  clean- 
ing their  teeth  they  break  a  twig  from  the  margosa 


OUR    MISSION    FIP:L])    TN    INDIA 


,  ,ai|— -H 


Two   Grinding  at   the    Mill. 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA  23 

tree,  using  the  broken  and  finely  slivered  end  as  a 
brush,  and  throw  it  away  when  they  have  finished. 
They  think  it  perfectly  filthy  that  we  Westerners  use 
the  same  tooth  brush  repeatedly.  In  answering,  I 
can  but  think  of  the  German  proverb :  "Andere 
Lander  andere  Sitten." 

As  for  clothing,  a  few  yards  of  cloth,  as  it  comes 
from  the  loom,  is  all  that  is  needed  for  men  or  women. 
The  children  frequently  go  about  attired  only  in  a 
shoe  string,  sometimes  called  a  "g"  string.  Even 
the  grown-ups  at  times  seem  to  have  worn  their  gar- 
ments down  to  the  last  half  yard.  Let  it  be  said,  how- 
ever, especially  of  the  women,  that  when  they  are 
attired  in  their  usual  dress,  they  are  really  more  becom- 
ingly, gracefully  and  decently  dressed  than  many  of 
our  fashionable  American  women.  Some  of  our 
women  go  up  and  down  the  streets,  not  with  their 
clothing  worn  off  by  poverty,  but  cut  off,  top  and 
bottom,  until  we  should  be  ashamed  to  have  them  ap- 
pear in  Indian  society. 

The  besetting  vanity  among  these  people  is  to 
wear  jewelry.  On  their  wrists  and  arms,  around 
their  necks  and  ankles,  in  their  ears  and  noses  we  see 
it  displayed  in  various  degrees  of  fineness  and  loveli- 
ness. From  beans  and  buttons,  from  cheap  brass  and 
aluminum  up  to  the  finest  gold  and  precious  stones 
runs  the  scale  of  value. 

One  is  often  surprised  how  people  clad  in  rags 
and  otherwise  poor  and  needy  can  afford  to  carry  quite 
a  wealth  of  jewelry  around  with  them.    At  a  wedding 


24  OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 

recently  a  woman  of  a  higher  caste  handed  me  her  coin 
necklace  for  inspection.  I  almost  let  it  fall  because 
of  its  sheer  weight  of  gold.  Some  of  this  is  of  the 
ancient  "wealth  of  Ind'." 

Aside  from  this  predilection  for  jewelry  and  a 
certain  gaudiness  in  dress  there  seems  to  be  little 
taste  for  having  things  fixed  up  about  the  home.  There 
are  very  few  flower  beds  or  other  ornaments  in  the 
yard  or  garden.  In  fact,  there  is  usually  no  yard  ur 
garden.  Room  could  likely  be  found  for  these  home 
accessories,  but  there  seems  to  be  no  taste  for  them. 

Out  in  the  fields  they  plow  with  a  pair  of  oxen 
hitched  to  a  sharp  stick,  usually  iron  pointed.  And  to 
harrow  they  hitch  to  a  clumsy  wooden  rake.  For  a 
grain  drill  they  use  a  little  bowl  to  which  they  connect 
three  tubes  leading  down  through  hollowed  wooden 
shovels.  To  this  apparatus  they  hitch.  The  driver 
puts  the  grain  into  the  bowl  by  small  handfuls.  In- 
deed, pictures  of  agricultural  implements  in  use  two 
thousand  years  ago  could  be  duplicated  any  day  with- 
in ten  rods  of  any  of  our  mission  compounds. 

I  might  continue  to  describe  the  living  or  eco- 
nomic conditions  of  this  people,  but  I  fear  it  would 
take  me  beyond  the  scope  of  this  report.  I  have 
shown  enough,  I  think,  to  give  you  a  fair  idea  of 
conditions  among  the  people  to  whom  we  are  called 
to  preach  the  Gospel.  Of  course  in  the  larger  towns, 
of  which  there  are  a  few  in  our  territory,  some  homes 
and  surroundings  are  not  quite  as  primitive  as  those 
here  described,  but  the  great  majority  are  of  this  type. 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 


25 


P< 


'^.d  OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 

In  this  connection  it  should  also  be  noted  that 
many  of  our  native  mission  workers,  such  as  our 
teachers  and  catechists,  especially  those  who  live  on 
the  mission  compounds,  have  better  living  conditions 
and  surroundings  than  the  average  villager.  But  we 
have  some  workers,  and  successful  ones  too,  who  live 
right  among  the  people  and  as  the  people.  Just  a 
short  time  ago  we  bought  a  house  and  lot  for  one  of 
our  teachers  in  a  village  near  Rapur  for  twenty  dollars. 
I  mention  this  to  give  you  the  valuation  of  an  average 
village  mud  house. 


CHAPTER  III 
Family  Life 

ONE  iiiiglu  suppose  that  where  the  surroundings 
are  so  very  primitive  one  would  find  many 
people  roaming  about  without  a  home  and 
not  caring  very  much  for  home  life.  This  is  not  the 
case  in  India,  in  proportion  to  the  population  there 
are  likely  fewer  waifs  and  homeless  people  than  in 
America.  The  family  ties  are  very  strong  as  well  as 
tender  in  this  land  of  strange  conditions.  And  while  to 
a  stranger  it  would  seem  to  be  a  matter  of  indifference 
to  the  native  Indian  into  just  which  one  of  the  count- 
less hovels  he  should  go  for  the  night,  he  soon  finds 
that  the  humblest  mud  house  shelters  a  family  bound 
together  by  the  tenderest  affections.    In  India  as  here : 

"Be   it  ever    so   humble, 
There's  no  place  like  home." 

Among  Hindus  the  joint  family  system  prevails 
almost  universally.  "It  is  built  on  the  old  patriarchal 
idea,  according  to  which  three  generations  generally 
live  under  the  same  roof  and  enjoy  a  community  of 
life  and  interest.  When  a  man  and  a  wife  have  reared 
a  family,  the  sons  bring  to  the  paternal  home  their 
wives  and  live  together  and  raise  their  families  in  the 
common  home  of  their  father.  The  supreme  authority 
rests  with  the  father."    Of  course  to  the  second  gener- 

(27) 


28  OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 

ation  he  has  become  grandfather,  and  to  the  third 
great-grandfather.  He  becomes  the  patriarch  of  the 
household.  The  corresponding  mother,  while  not  the 
head  of  the  house,  plays  a  very  important  part  in  the 
home  by  having  in  charge  the  household  foud  supply. 

The  entire  income  of  all  the  members  of  this 
usually  large  family  is  put  into  a  connnon  treasury, 
generally  presided  over  by  the  patriarch  or  his  eldest 
son  or  grandson.  Out  of  this  common  fund  all  ex- 
penses are  met.  There  are  no  individual  property 
rights.  It  is  really  a  communistic  society  or  colony. 
Indeed  we  might  say  the  arrangement  is  our  family 
idea  extended  to  the  third  generation.  Many  families 
in  America  could  profit  by  being  a  little  more  like 
the  Hindu  household.  When  children  of  a  few  years 
have  become  so  independent  that  their  parents  dare 
not  correct  them  nor  presume  to  have  any  jurisdiction 
over  their  earnings,  it  is  high  time  to  call  a  halt,  or 
the  family  will  finally  degenerate  into  a  club  and  the 
home  into  a  rooming  house. 

The  joint  family  system  has  its  advantages.  It 
affords  family  security.  It  helps  a  poor  people  to 
live  economically.  "And  it  has  the  peculiar  merit  of 
developing  a  strong  sense  of  responsibility  in  the 
whole  family  for  its  every  member,  however  in- 
capacitated he  or  she  may  be  for  self-support.  The 
weak,  the  sick  and  the  feeble-minded  have  the  same 
claim  upon  the  resources  of  the  family  as  have  the 
others,  and  the  claim  is  universally  recognized.  For 
this  reason  poor-houses  are  not  needed  in  India." 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 


29 


30  OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 

But  there  are  also  defects  in  this  system.  One  is 
that  those  so  inclined  can  become  very  lazy  and  still 
have  their  daily  bread  assured.  Parasite-like  they  live 
from  the  industry  of  others,  instead  of  being  made  to 
depend  on  their  own  efforts.  And  particularly  in 
India  this  evil  should  not  be  encouraged.  Instead 
of  inviting  to  laziness  and  inactivity  there  should  be 
some  prodding  to  initiative  and  individual  effort. 
More  self-reliance  should  be  instilled  into  the  rising 
generation.  Just  now  there  is  considerable  agitation 
in  this  direction,  but  I  fear  that  because  of  a  lack  of 
training  in  the  past  many  of  those  urged  to  take  ag- 
gressive and  independent  steps  are  not  prepared  to 
do  so. 

There  is  another  defect  to  the  system.  Too  many 
live  under  one  roof.  Or,  if  they  are  not  all  under 
one  roof,  they  live  in  adjoining  huts  which  is  nearly 
as  bad.  Even  seven  mild  Hindu  brothers  with  their 
families  cannot  live  together  in  perfect  peace  and  con- 
cord. And,  if  the  brothers  should  succeed,  the 
daughters-in-law  would  likely  constitute  a  disturbing 
factor. 

I  anticipate  that  as  India  awakens  to  a  realization 
of  her  capabilities  and  opportunities  the  joint  family 
system  will  gradually  disappear. 

Nowhere  in  India  did  I  see  parents  treat  their  chil- 
dren cruelly.  They  always  seemed  to  care  for  them 
kindly  and  even  affectionately.  And  I  never  saw  child- 
ren treat  their  parents  disrespectfully.  Of  course  I 
could  not  vmderstand  their  language,  but  the  deport- 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA  3I 

mcnt  of  children  towards  their  parents  I  could  ob- 
serve. Jt  was  uniformly  respectful.  For  example, 
a  Christian  or  a  Hindu  boy  would  never  remain  seated 
111  the  presence  of  his  father.  He  would  rise  and  re- 
main standing  until  the  father  would  withdraw  or  bid 
the  boy  be  seated.  And  there  was  never  any  "back 
talk"  or  smartness  displayed  toward  parents.  I  often 
wondered  how  some  of  our  bright,  smart,  independent 
and  rudely  disrespectful  American  youngsters  would 
impress  the  Indian  father  in  a  display  of  this  part  of 
their  Western  culture.  He  would  likely  want  to  pro- 
tect himself  and  family  against  such  a  civilization. 

Children  reading  this  report  will  likely  want  to 
know  what  the  Indian  children  do  during  cliildhood. 
You  may  have  formed  the  notion  that  their  life  must 
be  very  drear  amidst  their  poor  surroundings.  It  is 
true  they  do  not  have  the  games  and  playthings  usually 
found  among  American  children.  But  the  great  out- 
of-doors  is  theirs  in  India  nearly  twelve  months  out 
of  the  year.  They  can  go  barefooted  all  the  time. 
.\nd  they  do,  if  not  from  sheer  delight,  at  least  by 
force  of  circumstance.  They  can  go  along  to  the 
fields  and  pastures.  They  can  throw  stones  to  their 
hearts'  content.  There  is  no  danger  of  breaking  any 
glass  windows.  Do  you  ask,  why?  There  is  no 
glass  in  the  windows.  They  can  watch  the  cows  and 
chase  the  crows,  bump  their  heads  and  stub  their 
toes.  I  saw  many  children  engaged  in  what  seemed 
to  be  the  favorite  pastime  of  chasing  the  game  rooster 
about  the  village  or  starting  a  dog  fight  out  in  the  road. 


22  OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 

The  larger  boys  take  readily  to  athletics.  They  play 
football,  barefooted,  also  Badminton  and  lawn-tennis. 
The  girls  amuse  themselves  by  weaving  flowers  into 
their  hair  or  adorning  themselves  with  mock  jewelry, 
or  taking  care  of  a  real  baby,  their  little  brother  or 
sister. 

I  should  not  say  that  the  children  of  India  are  as 
cheerful  and  light-hearted  as  our  American  boys  and 
girls.  There  is  a  certain  sadness  and  resignation,  not 
only  among  the  children,  but  it  can  be  seen  among  the 
grown-ups  as  well.  It  is  reflected  in  practically  every 
thing  they  do. 

I  have  also  noticed  a  difference  between  Christian 
and  Hindu  children.  The  former  express  even  in 
their  eyes  the  hope  of  their  religion,  while  the  latter 
seem  to  be  rather  aimless  and  without  purpose.  And 
this  is  a  reflection  of  Hinduism. 

Marriage  among  the  Indians  is  the  one  great  event 
between  birth  and  death.  No  one  intends  to-  be  an 
old  bachelor  or  an  old  maid.  Where  these  conditions 
are  endured  it  is  because  they  can  not  be  changed.  To 
go  through  life  unmarried  means  either  a  disregard  of 
duty  or  a  visitation  from  some  vengeful  god. 

Among  Hindus  the  daughter  should  be  betrothed 
when  she  is  eight  or  ten  years  of  age.  If  it  is  not 
done  then,  the  parents  begin  to  fear  for  her  marriage. 
And  to  have  her  unmarried  amounts  practically  to  a 
disgrace.  Christians  do  not  usually  betroth  their 
daughters  until  they  have  reached  a  marriageable  age. 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD   IN   INDIA  33 

In  the  marriage  of  the  daughter  the  dowry  and 
not  physical  charms  or  accomplishments  is  the  im- 
portant thing.  The  amount  of  the  dowry  usually 
determines  the  grade  of  husband  to  be  obtained.  Sen- 
timent plays  no  part.  Caste  and  rupees  are  the  con- 
siderations. Parents  sometimes  plunge  themselves 
hopelessly  into  debt  to  bring  up  the  dowry  in  order 
to  pull  down  the  groom.  Says  Dr.  Holland :  ''The 
young  man  and  the  girl  are  inspected,  and,  if  both 
families  are  satisfied,  the  betrothal  takes  place  forth- 
with, and  the  marriage  is  not  long  delayed.  The  only 
persons  not  consulted  are  the  two  most  concerned, 
namely,  the  future  husband  and  wife.  To  impose 
implicit  faith  in  one's  parents  in  this  matter  is  the 
mark  of  a  model  son.  The  bridegroom  regards  his 
wife  not  so  much  as  being  his  own  possession,  as  an 
addition  to  his  mothers'  staff.  'Where  are  you 'going?' 
asks  the  mother  of  her  son  when  he  sets  forth  to 
fetch  his  bride.  'I  go  -to  bring  you  a  new  handmaid,' 
is  the  conventional  reply." 

Unfaithfulness  and  divorce  are  not  unknown  in 
India.  I  learned  of  many  cases,  even  among  our 
Christians,  but  I  do  not  think  these  evils  are  more 
prevalent  than  in  our  own  country.  The  causes  also 
seem  to  be  about  the  same,  infidelity,  wilful  desertion, 
and  cruelty. 

I  have  heard  of  polygamous  marriages  among  the 
Hindus ;  also  the  bringing  into  the  home  of  a  co-wife. 
Statistics  show  that  these  evils  exist  all  over  the  coun- 


34  t)UR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 

try.  Of  course  among  the  Christians  such  marriages 
are  not  tolerated. 

You  will  also  want  to  know  something  as  to  the 
prevalence  of  drunkenness.  Do  the  various  members 
of  the  household  occasionally  come  home  drunk?  Yes, 
I  have  seen  members  of  both  sexes  go  staggering  and 
babbhng  home.  I  have  seen  them  enter  into  a  heated 
conversation  with  a  palm  tree,  or  upbraid  a  stray 
monkey  sitting  on  the  compound  fence ;  but,  be  it  said 
to  the  credit  of  the  monkey,  he  was  perfectly  sober 
and  apparently  amused  at  the  antics  of  his  human 
neighbors. 

The  chief  intoxicating  drink,  at  least  in  the  ter- 
ritory of  our  mission,  is  a  fermentation  of  the  palmyra 
tree  sap  called  "toddy."  The  place  where  this  drink 
is  dispensed  is  called  the  "toddy  shop."  Near  our 
compound  at  Tirupati  is  to  be  found  such  a  joint,  and 
it  turns  out  its  product  of  bleary-eyed,  wobbly,  loqua- 
cious creatures,  much  after  the  fashion  of  the  old 
American  saloon.  I  do  not  think,  however,  that  the 
evil  is  as  widespread  and  as  destructive  as  it  was  with 
us  in  the  days  of  the  saloon.  But  its  effects  are 
noticeable  in  many  family  circles  and  the  missionary 
will  have  it  to  combat. 

The  aged  in  the  Indian  home,  largely  because  of 
the  joint  family  system,  are  usually  cared  for  as  the 
circumstances  will  best  allow.  Aged  parents  are 
practically  never  to  be  found  alone.  Children  or 
near  relatives  live  with  them.  It  does,  however,  occur 
that  aged  people  have  no  home  and  do  not  know  where 


OUR   MISSION    FIELD   IN    INDIA 


35 


A  Tirupati  Idol. 


36  OUR    MISSION    FIELD   IN    INDIA 

to  go.  This  situation  prevails,  especially  among  Chris- 
tians, who,  because  of  their  becoming  Christian,  have 
been  put  out  of  caste  by  their  relatives  who  have  re- 
mained heathen,  and  hence,  when  age  comes  on  are 
not  cared  for  in  the  usual  manner.  To  care  for  such 
should  be  our  chief  concern.  To  accept  Christ  in  the 
face  of  ostracism  and  even  persecution  requires  a  faith 
that  we  should  not  fail  to  support  in  time  of  need. 
We  should  by  all  means  hasten  to  provide  a  home  for 
such  as  these,  as  well  as  others  among  our  Christians 
who  are  not  living  after  the  Hindu  fashion,  but  after 
the  one  family  system. 

Our  Christians  bury  their  dead  much  as  we  do, 
though  a  coffin  is  seldom  used.  The  graves  are  some- 
times marked  with  an  appropriate  stone,  but  many 
cannot  afford  this  expense.  I  did  not  have  the  op- 
portunity of  attending  a  funeral  service  while  in  India. 
I  saw  a  number  of  Hindu  funeral  processions  with 
their  great  outlay  of  ceremony.  And  I  saw  one  burial 
near  a  railway  while  the  train  was  stopping  for  water. 
The  dead  form  was  taken  from  the  bier  and  laid  in 
the  shallow  grave.  The  face  was  covered  with  a  few 
flowers  or  leaves,  if  I  could  observe  correctly.  The 
earth  was  piled  over  these  remains  until  it  became  a 
little  mound  by  the  wayside.  In  many  places  the  Hin- 
dus cremate  the  bodies  of  their  dead.  One  can  fre- 
quently see  smoke  issuing  from  the  burning  ghat  near 
the  town  or  village.  Near  Bombay  the  Parsees  have 
their  **towers  of  silence,"  where  the  bodies  of  their 
dead  are  consigned  to  the  crows  and  vultures,  which, 


OUR    MISSION   FIELD   IN    INDIA  37 

in  an  incredibly  short  time,  leave  nothing  but  the  bare 
bones. 

Poor  old  India !  she  has  carried  millions  and  mil- 
lions of  her  dead  to  the  burning  ghat,  the  vultures,  or 
the  grave,  not  knowing  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  resur- 
rection and  the  life!  How  long!  O  how  long!  must 
she  wait  for  the  tidings  that  Jesus  her  Savior  lives  ? 


CHAPTER  IV 
Morals  and  Religion 

IT  might  be  inferred  that  because  of  the  very  prim- 
itive and  poor  conditions  the  people  would  oc- 
cupy a  very  low  plane  of  intelligence  and  be  very 
low  in  the  scale  of  morals.  But  we  are  glad  to  state 
that  such  a  conclusion  would  not  be  in  accordance 
with  the  facts. 

I  have  found  that  the  general  run  of  the  people 
in  our  territory  are  not  dull  and  incapable  of  educa- 
tion. On  the  other  hand,  they  seem  to  have  the  neces- 
sary brain  capacity  and  a  native  ability  to  learn 
rapidly.  They  are  rather  in  the  position  of  those  who 
seem  not  to  have  had  a  chance,  or  as  those  held  down 
by  some  great  weight.  And  the  millstone  is  not  hard 
to  find.  It  is  caste.  "Nothing  has  ever  equalled  the 
Satanic  ingenuity  of  this  device  for  keeping  perma- 
nently submerged  the  depressed  classes  of  society." 
And  says  Rabindranath  Tagore :  "The  regeneration 
of  the  Indian  people,  to  my  mind,  directly  and  per- 
haps solely,  depends  upon  the  removal  of  this  condi- 
tion of  caste."  The  burden  has,  therefore,  not  been 
imposed  by  a  foreign  ruling  power,  but  the  all  but 
intolerable  conditions  are  self-imposed  and  self -ad- 
ministered. 

To  be  convinced  that  even  the  lowest  caste  people 
and  the  outcastes  are  capable  of  wonderful  develop- 

(38) 


OUk   MISSION   FIELD   IN   INDIA  3^ 

ment  one  need  but  spend  a  short  time  with  the  boys 
and  girls  of  our  schools.  Most  of  these  come  from 
the  lowest  castes  and  the  poorest  classes.  But  their 
sparkling  eyes,  alert  ears  and  eager  minds  do  not  in- 
dicate that  there  is  a  dullness  or  stupidity  there  that 
baffles  all  effort.  Many  of  the  youngsters  from  these 
schools  wOuld  lead  our  American  boys  of  like  age  a 
merry  chase,  for  ^  instance,  in  a  language  or  history 
examination.  Practically  every  mission  in  India  has 
its  shining  examples  of  scholarship  among  its  Chris- 
tian workers. 

But  the  general  literacy  among  the  people  is  very 
low.  Dr.  J.  P.  Jones  is  the  authority  for  the  state- 
ment that  in  the  Madras  Presidency,  eighty-five  per 
cent  of  the  male  and  ninety  per  cent  of  the  female 
population  are  illiterate,  and  this  is  higher  than  the 
average  for  India.  Surely  it  will  inspire  the  best  of 
our  young  men  and  women  to  go  among  the  million 
souls  of  our  mission  territory  where  these  conditions 
prevail  and  do  their  utmost  to  help  lift  a  poor,  ignorant 
and  benighted  people  into  the  knowledge  and  glorious 
heritage  of  the  people  of  God. 

Unless  one  has  lived  for  a  long  time  among  a 
people,  one  cannot  be  sure  that  his  judgment  of  their 
morals  is  correct,  and  at  best,  our  estimate  of  another's 
moral  worth  can  only  be  approximate.  Frequently 
our  estimations  are  all  wrong.  I  therefore  hesitate 
to  say  much  on  the  morals  of  the  people  among  whom 
I  have  lived  but  a  few  months.  But  here  again  I 
may  safely  say  that  Brahminical  Hinduism  and  caste 


40 


OUR    MISSION   FIELD   IN   llSTDiA 


Hindu  Temple  at  Kalahasti. 


Otrft   MISSION   FIELD   IN   INDIA  41 

have  so  warped  the  standards  of  the  decalogue  that 
morahty  and  immoraHty  are  hopelessly  entangled  be- 
fore the  eyes  of  the  people. 

Caste  says,  "Touch  defiles,  not  vicious  morals.  Of 
two  brothers,  the  adulterer  may  live  and  feed  at  home ; 
the  Christian  of  blameless  character  is  expelled.  A 
breach  of  the  ten  commandments  will  not  exclude  a 
man  from  caste ;  but  let  him  drink  water  touched  by  a 
man  of  a  lower  caste  and  he  is  instantly  exiled  from 
society.  The  following  are  the  most  common  of- 
fenses dealt  with  by  caste  tribunals :  ( i )  eating,  drink- 
ing, or  smoking  with  a  member  of  an  inferior  caste; 
(2)  killing  cows;  (3)  murder;  (4)  getting  maggots; 
(5)  being  beaten  by  a  man  of  lower  caste;  (6)  abus- 
ing or  beating  relatives  held  in  reverence;  (7)  follow- 
ing prohibited  occupations;  (8)  breach  of  caste 
etiquette,  such  as  leaving  a  dinner  party  before  others 
have  finished.  In  the  higher  castes  the  offenses  now 
punished  are,  taking  a  sea-voyage  or  dining  with  one 
outside  the  caste."  —  Holland.  Nine  Hindus  out  of 
ten  would  be  more  horrified  to  discover  that  they  had 
drunk  water  given  them  by  one  of  a  lower  scale  than 
to  have  been  detected  in  lying  or  thieving.  A  person 
may  be  known  to  be  a  degraded  profligate,  yet  if  he 
has  taken  certain  heathen  religious  vows  he  is  regarded 
as  a  very  holy  man,  and  he  receives  many  coins  in  his 
begging  bowl.  A  person  may  tell  a  bare-faced  lie  and 
little,  if  any,  notice  will  be  taken  of  it ;  but  should  one 
become  angry,  even  on  provocation,  hands  are  uplifted 
in  holy  horror. 


4^  OUR   MISSION   FIELD   IN   INDIA 

I  need  scarcely  state  that  such  a  warped  code  of 
morals  deflects  our  Christians  also  at  many  points. 
But  here,  especially,  we  must  be  patient  with  our 
people  and  by  precept  and  example  lead  them  out  of 
this  maze  and  confusion  that  has  been  hanging  about 
them  and  their  ancestors  for  ages. 

"India's  spiritual  history  is  the  world's  tragedy 
of  religion.  A  nation  that  for  so  many  centuries  has 
sought  God  with  unmeasured  sacrifice  is  still  unsatis- 
fied. What  is  so  tragic  as  the  earnestness  of  unsuc- 
cessful search?  Here  is  a  people  with  a  Hmitless 
capacity  for  spiritual  service  and  devotion,  with  a 
heart  hungry  for  God,  that  in  its  real  soul  has  cared 
and  lived  for  nothing  but  religion.  And  yet,  for  all 
her  religiousness,  India  is  still  ignorant  of  the  Hving 
God,  knowing  neither  his  awful  holiness,  nor  the  true 
glory  of  His  gracious  love."  —  Holland. 

The  Indian  is  naturally  very  religious.  Every- 
thing he  does  down  to  the  meanest  physical  labor  has, 
largely  because  of  caste,  a  religious  value  or  purpose. 
Natively  then  we  have  a  religious  people  among  whom 
to  work,  and  once  divested  of  the  dross  of  heathenism 
our  Telugu  Christians  could  become  the  counterpart 
of  the  early  Galilean  Christians  whom  they  seem  in 
many  ways  to  resemble.  But  the  Hindus  will  go  on 
worshipping  their  countless  deities,  some  of  them 
benevolent,  more  of  them  malevolent.  They  will  con- 
tinue to  wander  about  in  their  philosophy,  their  as- 
trology, their  superstitions,  and  in  their  animism  until 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD   IN    INDIA  43 

the  light  breaks  in  upon  them  hke  the  rays  of  their 
tropical  sun.  A  learned  orientalist  says,  that  **no 
people  has  made  such  efforts  as  the  Hindus  to  solve, 
exhaust,  comprehend,  what  is  insolvable,  inexhaustible, 
incomprehensible." 


CHAPTER  V 
Women  in  India 

THE  condition  of  its  women  is  the  truest  test 
of  a  people's  civilization.  Her  status  is  her 
country's  barometer,"  says  Dr.  J.  P.  Jones. 
If  this  be  true,  and  in  the  main  I  think  it  is,  we  can 
not  give  India  a  very  high  rating.  For  nearly  ninety- 
nine  per  cent  of  her  women  are  illiterate,  and  a  Hfe 
of  drudgery  seems  to  be  their  predestined  lot.  At 
birth  already  the  girl  baby  is  not  as  welcome  as  the 
male  child.  She  enters  life  with  a  handicap  and  it 
impedes  her  to  the  end  of  her  days.  Her  hope  is 
that  in  a  rebirth  she  may  enter  life  under  more  favor- 
able circumstances.  In  past  generations  (I  am  told 
the  practice  is  nowhere  continued  now)  the  mother 
would  send  back  to  the  gods  the  gift  that  was  so  un- 
welcome. This  meant  that  the  little  girl's  life  was 
spirited  away,  somehow,  somewhere.  *'How  foolish ! 
how  senseless,"  you  say,  ''since  there  can  be  no  sons 
without  mothers."  Do  what  you  will,  society  can- 
not exist  without  the  fair  sex. 

In  Indian  society  there  are  several  reasons  why 
the  advent  of  the  daughter  into  the  home  is  not  greeted 
with  joy.  The  first  is  the  prospect  of  the  marriage  of 
the  daughter,  coming  all  too  soon,  with  the  accompany- 
ing heavy  cost.  "How  shall  we  raise  the  dowry?" 
is  the  anxious  question  of  the  parents  as  one  by  one 

(44) 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD   IN    INDIA 


45 


46  OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 

the  daughters  come  into  their  home.  And  be  married 
they  must  if  the  whole  family  is  not  to  be  disgraced. 
And  naturally,  where  the  accumulation  of  a  little  com- 
petence is  so  difficult,  this  question  of  dowry  would 
give  considerable  concern.  There  is  also  the  dreaded 
prospect  of  girl-widowhood  which  entails  great  misery 
on  daughter  and  parents  alike.  To  have  a  daughter 
widowed  at  eight  or  ten  years,  and  ostracized  from 
society  as  well,  is  anything  but  cheering  to  all  con- 
cerned. 

"But  human  nature  is  stronger  than  the  iron  grip 
of  custom,  and  the  mother-love  born  with  the  little 
child  asserts  itself  after  the  first  disappointment.  Al- 
though the  child  does  not  count  for  much  in  the  house- 
hold, the  mother  is  ready  to  lavish  on  her  those  fond 
endearments  which  are  the  lot  of  babies  all  the  world 
over.  Indeed,  in  some  respects,  daughters  are  in 
danger  of  being  spoiled.  Their  parents  are  very  apt 
to  act  on  the  principle,  that,  as  the  child  at  the  early 
age  of  ten  or  so  must  bow  her  neck  under  the  yoke 
of  her  mother-in-law,  she  should  be  allowed  freedom 
from  irksome  rules  before  that  age.  So  there  is,  for 
her,  little  of  that  insistence  on  orderliness,  punctuality, 
strict  obedience,  and  useful  habits,  such  as  sewing  and 
tidying  up.  Left  to  her  own  sweet  will,  she  becomes 
careless  and  idle,  and  at  the  same  time  precocious," 

But  it  is  in  place  here  to  state  that  in  the  Christian 
homes  of  India  the  daughter  is  more  welcome.  Giild 
marriage  and  the  ostracisms  heaped  upon  child-widows 
are  regarded  as  great  wrongs  and  therefore  un-Chris- 


OUR   MISSION    FIELD   IN    INDIA  47 

tian.  The  hope  of  all  the  daughters  of  India  is  in 
Christianity,  where  there  is  neither  bond  nor  free, 
but  where  all  are  one  in  Christ  Jesus. 

But  let  it  not  be  understood  that  woman  in  the 
Hindu  world  has  no  place  and  no  influence,  except 
that  of  bearing  children  and  drudging  her  way 
through  life.  "It  is  true  that,  apart  from  her  husband 
and  from  the  kitchen,  woman  has  had  few  ideals 
urged  upon  her  in  that  great  country.  Her  ambitions 
have  not  crossed  the  doorsteps  of  her  house  and  home. 
She  is  measured  entirely  by  her  relation  to  her  hus- 
band or  children.  She  is  her  lord's  companion  and 
servant.  Love  to  him  is  the  wand  which  alone  can 
transform  her  life  into  gold.  Her  usefulness  and  her 
glory  are  the  reflections  of  his  pleasure  and  of  his 
satisfaction  in  her.  She  has  no  separate  existence. 
Apart  from  man  she  is  an  absolute  non-entity.  And 
yet,  within  the  sphere  that  has  been  granted  to  her, 
she  has  shone  with  a  wonderful  radiance  and  with 
a  charm  which  often  reminds  us  of  some  of  Shake- 
speare's beautiful  womanly  creations." 

In  a  religious  way,  woman  in  India  occupies  the 
same  position  that  she  does  anywhere  else  in  the 
world.  It  is  the  mother  that  has  the  first  and  best 
opportunity  of  impressing  her  religious  feelings  and 
convictions  upon  the  plastic  mind  and  heart  of  her 
child.  The  Indian  mother  almost  unwittingly  teaches 
her  child  the  superstitions  and  idolatry  of  Hinduism. 
There  is  no  systematic  religious  instruction,  but  it  is, 
so  to  say,  imbibed  with  the  mother's  milk.     It  is  an 


48  OUR   MISSION   FIELI>  IN   INDIA 


Lace  School  at  Gudur. 


OUR   MISSION    FIELD   IN    INDIA  49 

atmosphere  breathed  in  the  home.  If  Christianity, 
therefore,  is  to  wield  its  full  influence,  the  mother 
must  be  reached.  Access  must  be  had  to  the  home. 
The  Zenana  quarters  must  become  the  Christian  Bible 
woman's  forum.  But  because  of  the  lack  of  female 
education  the  work  of  Christian  instruction  is  made 
very  difficult.  The  barriers  of  ignorance  and  super- 
stition can  only  gradually  be  broken  down.  Patience 
and  long  continued  effort  are  here  cardinal  virtues. 
The  Christian  teacher  must  be  satisfied  if  finally  a 
Christian  atmosphere  has  been  created  where  formerly 
only  Hinduism  prevailed.  But  this  is  already  a  long 
step  in  the  direction  of  breaking  up  the  almost  inex- 
orable caste,  subservience  and  superstition  that  have  so 
long  held  the  women  of  India  in  bondage. 

The  Hindus  have  a  proverb  which  runs  as  fol- 
lows: "Educating  woman  is  like  placing  a  knife  in 
the  hands  of  a  monkey."  They,  of  course,  mean  to 
say  that  she  not  only  does  not  know  how  to  use  the 
equipment,  but  that  it  is  dangerous  for^any  one  to  be 
about  when  she  has  this  weapon  in  her  hands ;  or  ex- 
pressed very  plainly,  keep  woman  in  ignorance.  It  is 
where  she  belongs.  Other  places  in  the  world  than 
India  have  given  voice  to  the  same  doctrine.  Not  so 
many  generations  ago  practically  the  same  attitude 
was  taken  by  our  Caucasian  progenitors  in  the  forests 
of  Europe. 

And  we  of  the  Western  world  who  are  helping  in 
the  great  emancipation  of  women,  should  also  remem- 
ber that  there  is  another  extreme  in  this  business. 


50  OUR   MISSION   FIELD   IN   INDIA 

When  women  become  so  enlightened  and  advanced 
that  they  want  out  of  the  kitchen  and  out  of  the 
nursery,  and  out  of  the  home;  when  they  consider 
motherhood  and  home  building  drudgery  and  want  to 
do  man's  work  in  the  counting-house  and  in  the  store 
as  well  as  in  the  political  arena;  when  women  from 
Christian  lands,  as  we  have  seen  them  in  India,  dress 
like  men,  and  drink  whiskey  and  smoke  cigarettes 
in  public  places  we  fear  the  emancipation  and  the  "ad- 
vancement" has  been  carried  entirely  too  far.  It  is 
hardly  necessary  to  state  that  we  do  not  regard  such 
education  as  an  advancement  or  an  emancipation. 
This  is  maleducation.  When  we  speak  of  the  educa- 
tion of  woman  we  mean  the  preparation  that  gives  her 
greater  strength  and  influence  in  her  God-given  sphere. 
An  education  that  enlarges  her  life  and  beautifies  it 
in  the  sphere  in  which  she  is  to  move  is  a  blessing  of 
untold  value  and  is  not  a  knife  in  a  monkey's  hand. 
This  is  the  kind  of  education  we  mean  every  woman 
in  India,  as  well  as  in  America,  should  have.  And  I 
am  sure  it  will  ever  be  the  purpose  of  our  mission  to 
exert  every  effort  that  woman  in  India  shall  have  the 
advantage  and  blessing  of  an  education  that  will  help 
her  the  more  easily  and  effectually  to  carry  the  burden 
and  responsibility  of  her  lot.  Our  hurried  opening 
of  the  girl's  school  at  Gudur  is  evidence  that  we  are 
in  earnest  in  this  matter.  And  we  will  train  Bible 
women  and  Zenana  workers  just  as  rapidly  as  our 
resources  will  allow. 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA  5I 

It  is  quite  plain  how  Hinduism  can  thrive  with 
woman  in  ignorance.  InteUigence  is  not  necessary. 
In  fact  the  system,  if  a  system  it  is,  is  unintelhgible. 
Superstition  and  fear  is  the  only  basis  needed  for 
practical  Hinduism.  Intelligence  leads  away  from  it, 
not  toward  it.  The  Shastras,  the  sacred  books  of 
Hinduism,  have  given  instruction  that  no  man  shall, 
under  penalty  of  hell,  teach  to  his  wife  or  daughter 
the  Vedas,  which  are  the  very  best  part  of  Hindu 
Scriptures.  From  these  references  it  can  be  plainly 
seen  that  woman  under  Hinduism  is  doom.ed  to  igno- 
rance. There  is  no  help  for  her.  She  must  turn  her 
face  to  Him  who  said :     "Come  unto  me." 

Marriage  we  have  briefly  considered  under  the 
chapter  on  ''Family  Life"  so  it  will  not  be  necessary 
at  this  point  to  say  anything  further  than  that  child- 
marriage  and  child-widowhood  go  together,  the  latter 
naturally  following  from  the  former.  I  shall  remem- 
ber no  scene  in  India  more  vividly  than  when  I  saw  a 
number  of  these  poor  children  hopelessly,  and  appar- 
ently aimlessly,  wandering  about.  They  of  course  have 
abodes,  but  they  really  have  no  homes. 

"Annually  thousands  of  these  poor  girls,  who  are 
in  absolute  ignorance  of  the  situation,  are  converted 
into  virgin  widows  whose  condition,  upon  the  death  of 
their  husbands,  is  instantly  changed  from  one  of  in- 
nocent childhood  pleasure  into  a  sad,  despised,  and 
hated  widowhood.  For  the  parents  of  the  boy  sin- 
cerely believe  that  it  is  her  evil  star  which  has  killed 
the  boy   whose   destiny  was  blended   with  her  own, 


52 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 


Middle  School  at  Puttur, 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA  53 

Thus  henceforth  she  is  to  be  regarded,  not  only  by 
the  parents  concerned,  but  by  society  in  general,  as  an 
accursed  person,  hated  for  what  has  happened  to  her 
husband,  and  also  a  creature  to  be  shunned.  Her 
presence  must  not  be  allowed  on  any  festive  occasion, 
lest  its  evil  influence  bring  sorrow  and  death  to  others. 
Thus  a  child  of  four  or  five  years  may  suddenly  have 
her  prospects  blasted,  her  life  embittered,  and  her 
company  shunned  by  the  whole  world,  with  none  to 
befriend,  to  cheer,  or  to  comfort  her.  There  are  two 
millions  of  such  sad  and  injured  ones  in  India  today. 
Their  cry  goes  up  to  God  and  to  man  in  an  inarticu- 
late appeal  for  relief  and  redress  against  a  social 
custom  and  a  religious  rule  which  consigns  them,  in 
their  time  of  greatest  innocency,  to  a  life  which  is 
worse  than  death  itself  and  which  robs  them  of  the 
protection,  love  and  sympathy  which  the  whole  econ- 
omy of  heaven  and  earth  should  guarantee  to  them." 
—  Jones. 

There  is  yet  another  evil  that  the  Hindu  religion 
has  inflicted  upon  the  womanhood  of  India.  Many 
thousands  of  daughters  are  dedicated  to  a  life  of  un- 
utterable shame  in  connection  with  the  temple  worship. 
These  women  are  known  as  the  "servants  of  the  gods." 
Out  of  gratitude  to  the  gods  for  blessings  received 
mothers  give  their  daughters  to  this  service.  It  seems 
to  be  generally  known  that  all  such  girls  become  public 
characters.  Think  of  the  situation!  A  mother  giv- 
ing her  daughter  to  prostitution  as  a  thank  offering 


54  OUR    MISSION    FIELD   IN    INDIA 

to  her  god.  "O  religion !  what  crimes  are  committed 
in  thy  name." 

These  poor  girls  are  the  "dancing  girls  of  India." 
Everyone  knows  that  they  perform  certain  religious 
functions  and  that  they  at  the  same  time  lead  immoral 
lives,  but  the  Hindu  religious  mind  does  not  balk  in 
having  religion  and  immorality  coupled  together.  A 
religious  man  may  also  be  an  immoral  profligate  and 
yet  be  in  good  standing  religiously.  I  have  taken 
time  to  mention  these  things  in  order  to  show  how 
helpless  Hinduism  is  to  bring  about  a  better  condition 
among  women  as  well  as  among  the  people  of  India 
generally. 

The  fanatical  Hindu  will  reply,  ''You  have  your 
social  evils  in  America  also.  You  have  your  divorces 
and  your  prostitutes  and  profligates."  And  we  shall 
not  attempt  to  deny  the  all  too  prevalent  truth.  And 
we  are  also  heartily  ashamed  of  these  conditions.  But 
they  cannot  be  linked  up  with  Christianity.  We  have 
these  evils  not  because  of  Christianity,  but  in  spite  of 
it.  The  sad  feature  of  Hinduism  is  that  it  has 
muddled  every  thing,  and  is  hopelessly  entangled.  It 
mixes  the  moral  with  the  immoral,  the  good  with  the 
bad,  the  true  with  the  false,  until  the  mind  and  soul 
come  to  the  verge  of  despair. 


CHAPTER  VI 

The  Work  and  Property  of  the  Hermaimsburg 
Mission  Society 

THE  War  being  over  and  the  German  mission- 
aries having  been  repatriated  and  their  societies 
dissolved  in  India,  the  very  difficult  problem  of 
what  to  do  with  their  work  and  property  presented 
itself.  A  provision  of  the  Peace  Treaty  prevented 
the  confiscation  of  the  property  as  well  as  the  aliena- 
tion of  the  work  from  one  faith  to  another.  The 
clause  in  the  Treaty  pertaining  to  this  matter  reads  as 
follows :  "The  Allied  and  Associated  Powers  agree 
that  where  Christian  religious  missions  were  being 
maintained  by  German  societies  or  persons  in  terri- 
tory belonging  to  them,  or  of  which  the  government 
is  entrusted  to  them  in  accordance  with  the  present 
Treaty,  the  property  which  tlTese  missions  or  mis- 
sionary societies  possessed,  including  that  of  trading 
societies  whose  profits  were  devoted  to  the  support 
of  missions,  shall  continue  to  be  devoted  to  Missionary 
purposes.  In  order  to  ensure  the  due  execution  of 
this  undertaking  the  Allied  and  Associated  Govern- 
ments will  hand  over  such  property  to  boards  of  trus- 
tees appointed  by  or  approved  by  the  Governments 
and  composed  of  persons  holding  the  faith  of  the  mis- 
sion whose  property  is  involved." 

(55) 


56  OUR    MISSION    FIELD   IN   INDIA 

**The  Allied  and  Associated  Governments,  while 
continuing  to  maintain  full  control  as  to  the  individuals 
by  whom  the  missions  are  conducted,  will  safeguard 
the  interests  of  such  missions." 

"Germany,  taking,  note  of  the  above  undertaking, 
agrees  to  accept  all  arrangements  made  or  to  be  made 
by  the  Allied  or  Associated  Governments  concerned 
for  carrying  on  the  work. of  the  said  missions  or  trad- 
ing societies  and  waive  all  claim  on  their  behalf." 

In  line  with  this  provision  of  the  Treaty,  the 
British  Government  in  India  proceeded  to  act,  and  as 
you  will  readily  recall,  your  Board  proceeded  to  apply 
for  the  work  and  property  of  the  former  Hermanns- 
burg  field.  All  arrangements  made  during  the  war 
for  the  manning  and  financing  of  the  work  were,  of 
course,  to  be  regarded  only  as  a  temporary  measure. 
No  permanent  claims  could  be  based  thereon. 

Taking  up  this  work  on  your  behalf  in  India  I 
soon  found  that  it  would  be  necessary  to  clear  the 
atmosphere  of  some  misunderstandings,  as  well  as 
properly  introduce  ourselves  as  thoroughly  American 
and  capable  of  caring  for  a  work  as  large  as  the 
Hermannsburg  field.  It  was  fortunate  that  at  the 
time  we  had  enough  missionaries  on  the  field  to  effect 
a  constitutional  organization.  This  at  once  gave  us 
standing  and  a  certain  stability  which  was  so  neces- 
sary with  the  authorities  as  well  as  among  the  native 
Christian  workers.  The  constitution  which  the  India 
Conference  of  the  Joint  Synod  adopted  lies  before 
you.      The  entire  work  would  have  been  jeopardized 


OUR   MISSION   FIELD   IN   INDIA 


57 


Missionary  Residence. 


58  OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 

had  we  waited  until  your  Board  and  the  Synod  could 
have  approved  the  constitution.  Your  commissioner 
therefore  acted  under  the  authority  vested  in  him  and 
sanctioned  the  constitution  for  the  Board  and  Synod. 
I  trust  his  action  under  these  conditions  will  be  ap- 
proved. 

I  then  interviewed  the  chairman  of  the  trustees 
of  enemy  property  in  the  Madras  Presidency,  as  well 
as  the  Government  Secretary  having  enemy  missions 
in  charge.  Some  of  these  interviews  were  somewhat 
lengthy,  but  I  think  we  succeeded  in  properly  intro- 
ducing the  Joint  Synod.  Especially  in  the  Govern- 
ment office  was  it  necessary  to  correct  misunderstand- 
ings and  misinformation.  The  Government  officials 
informed  us  that  some  had  even  thought  that  this  Ohio 
Synod  or  "Ohio  Corporation"  was  simply  a  body  hur- 
riedly organized  in  America  by  the  Germans  for  the 
purpose  of  covering  their  missions. 

When  I  told  the  Secretary  that  we  were  chartered 
in  1849  he  was  as  pleased  to  receive  the  information 
as  I  was  to  give  it.  He  also  seemed  glad  to  know  that 
we  as  a  Synod  stand  in  no  official  connection  with  any 
European  society.  To  Rev.  D.  T.  M.  Leith,  chairman 
of  the  trustees  of  enemy  property  in  the  Madras 
Presidency,  your  Board,  I  think,  owes  a  vote  of  thanks. 
He  has  most  efficiently  and  carefully  handled  the 
difficult  and  intricate  matter  of  conserving  the  work 
of  the  German  missions  and  at  the  same  time  meet- 
ing the  conditions  of  the  Treaty.  Also  the  mission- 
aries of  the  United  Lutheran  Church  in  India  deserve 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN   INDIA  J^ 

our  thanks  for  their  interest  and  assistance  during 
the  trying  times  of  the  war  and  in  our  negotiations 
afterwards.  I  may  say  here  that  I  found  no  disposi- 
tion anywhere  among  responsible  people  to  destroy 
or  cast  aside  the  Christian  work  that  the  German  mis- 
sionaries had  by  faithful  service  so  carefully  built  up. 
Their  worth  and  work  was  recognized  on  all  sides. 
But  the  exigencies  of  the  War  and  the  conditions  laid 
down  in  the  Treaty  had  to  be  met. 

After  many  interviews  and  much  consultation 
with  the  authorities,  1  handed  a  petition  to  the  "Board 
of  Trustees  of  Enemy  Missions"  to  recommend  to 
the  India  Government  that  the  entire  Hermannsburg 
work  and  property  be  transferred  to  the  Joint  Synod 
of  Ohio.  The  reasons  for  the  appeal  were  set  forth 
and  the  assurance  given  that  the  work  would  be  faith- 
fully carried  forward.  The  Trustees  thereupon  re- 
resolved  the  following:  (i)  "To  recommend  that 
the  transfer  of  the  work  be  approved."  (I  take  it  that 
this  clause  means  that  the  temporary  transfer  of  the 
work  to  our  Synod  be  continued).  (2)  "To  recom- 
mend Government  to  sanction  the  transfer  of  the 
property  hitherto  belonging  to  the  Hermannsburg  Lu- 
theran Mission  to  the  Joint  Synod  of  Ohio  to  be  held 
in  trust  for  the  Church  founded  by  the  Hermannsburg 
Evangelical  Lutheran  Mission  on  condition  that  aliena- 
tion of  the  property  transferred  do  not  take  place 
without  the  consent  of  the  Board  of  Trustees."  It 
yet  remains  for  the  India  Government  to  act  and  the 
matter  will  be  settled.     It  is  highly  probable  that  the 


60  OUR    MISSION   FIELD   IN   INDIA 

Government  will  act  favorably  since  all  matters  seem 
to  be  cleared  up  and  your  Board  is  on  the  "approved 
list"  of  Reference  and  Counsel  in  America.  The  more 
I  consider  the  recommendations  of  the  trustees  the 
more  I  appreciate  their  wisdom  and  fairness.  They 
recognize  and  would  conserve  the  work  of  Hermanns- 
burg.  The  ultimate  goal  of  Hermannsburg  is  to  be 
our  goal  —  a  self-sustaining  and  self-administering 
Indian  Church.  This  is  a  guarantee  and  an  encourage- 
ment to  our  Indian  brethern,  a  challenge  to  us,  and  a 
tribute  to  the  German  brethern.  Paul  has  planted 
Apollos  is  to  water.  We  may  not  arbitrarily  alienate 
the  property,  yet,  in  as  far  as  our  purpose  in  possessing 
it  is  concerned,  we  are  at  liberty  to  use  it  as  though  we 
possessed  it  in  fee  simple. 

We  are  not  asked  to  pay  for  the  property,  but  are 
rather  to  add  our  efforts  to  what  the  Hermannsburg 
Society  has  already  so  unselfishly  done  for  the  Church 
of  Jesus  Christ  in  India.  Indeed  as  the  whole  situation 
seems  to  me  now  it  should  not  be  otherwise. 

All  the  more  heartily  and  energetically  can  we 
enter  into  the  work  should  it  be  entrusted  to  us.  And 
since  the  Indian  Christians  on  the  field  have  petitioned 
the  Trustees  that  the  property  and  work  be  entrusted 
to  us,  we  can  count  on  their  hearty  cooperation. 

With  Kodur  and  Puttur  already  in  our  posses- 
sion, and  our  expressed  willingness  and  ability  to  do 
the  work  in  the  Hermannsburg  field,  it  were  a  pity  if 
the  work  were  not  entrusted  to  us.  It  is  fortunate  that 
the  entire  field  is  kept  together.    I  do  not  see  how  we 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD   IN    INDIA  6l 

could  have  built  up  a  successful  mission  with  only 
Kodur  and  Puttur  as  a  field,  and  that  bisected  by  the 
Tirupati  station.  The  whole  field  constitutes  a  block 
of  territory  in  the  heathen  world  and  should  be  oper- 
ated as  such. 

As  regards  the  condition  of  the  properties  I  may 
say  that  general  repairs  are  needed,  since  during  the 
past  five  years,  very  few  repairs  have  been  made.  It 
is  difficult  to  estimate  the  cost  of  this  work,  but  I 
think  that  several  thousand  dollars  will  be  needed  to 
put  the  properties  in  fair  shape.  If  the  church  at 
Vacardu  is  to  be  rebuilt  and  several  of  the  others  re- 
paired extensively,  then  six  or  eight  thousand  dollars 
will  be  needed.  I  think  the  Board  should  make  it  its 
policy  to  put  up  more  substantial  school  buildings 
than  has  hitherto  been  done,  even  as  a  matter  of 
economy.  Mud  walls  or  brick  laid  up  in  mud,  con- 
taining no  lime  or  cement,  is  not  permanent  construc- 
tion as  you  will  readily  understand. 

In  the  India  Conference  we  planned  and  took 
estimates  on  a  standard  model  village  school  building; 
one  that  in  all  respects  meets  the  government  require- 
ments. It  can  be  constructed,  using  lime,  mortar,  and 
tile  roof,  for  about  $200.00  to  $250.00.  Then  we  will 
have  a  permanent  building  which  does  not  need  to 
be  repaired  or  rebuilt  after  every  rainy  season.  Be- 
sides the  poor  condition  of  the  building  ofttimes  in- 
terferes with  the  work  of  the  school.  Sometimes 
children,  on  coming  to  school,  find  that  the  building 
has  collapsed  during  the  night.     This  would  all  be 


62  OUR    MISSION    FIELD   IN   INDIA 


Village  School. 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD   IN   INDIA  63 

obviated  if  we  had  standard  buildings.  In  general 
I  think  it  should  be  our  policy  to  build  as  substantially 
as  possible.  It  pays  in  the  long  run,  especially  in 
India,  where  climatic  conditions  are  severe.  The 
photographs  will  give  you  an  idea  of  the  character 
and  construction  of  the  various  buildings  of  the  mis- 
sion. Our  missionaries  are  usually  surprised  to  find 
the.  commodious  and  well-constructed  bungalows  on 
the  various  compounds.  This  means  that  our  mis- 
sionaries can  go  into  the  various  parts  of  the  field  and 
at  once  begin  their  work  in  comfortable  quarters. 
Some  may  think,  on  looking  at  the  pictures,  that  the 
contrast  between  the  missionary  residence  and  the 
native  houses  are  too  great.  Some  might  think  that 
while  we  are  trying  to  break  down  the  Hindu  caste 
system  we  are  building  up  another  of  Western  origin. 
As  a  matter  of  fact  our  missionaries  and  their  families, 
reared  in  the  climate  and  under  the  living  conditions 
as  they  exist  here  in  America,  could  not  hold  out  for 
any  length  of  time  in  the  native  quarters.  It  has  been 
tried  and  the  results  are  to  be  found  in  the  cemeteries 
of  India.  Heavy  walls  and  roofs  with  large,  airy 
rooms  and  extensive  verandas  must  be  provided  if  the 
missionary  is  to  remain  and  do  his  work. 


CHAPTER  VII 
Inspection  of  Our  Mission  Stations 

OUR  mission  field  lies  entirely  within  the  Madras 
Presidency,  and  almost  exclusively  within  the 
territory  of  the  Telugu  language.  Roughly 
speaking,  we  may  say  our  field  begins  a  few  miles 
north  of  the  city  of  Madras  and  extends  northward 
along  the  Bay  of  Bengal  for  a  distance  of  about  90 
miles  and  westward  about  75  miles,  comprising  a  ter- 
ritory of  about  6,750  square  miles,  and  containing  a 
heathen  population  of  approximately  one  million  souls. 
Bounding  the  territory  by  mission  fields,  we  may 
say :  It  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  the  field  of  the 
London  Society  and  that  of  the  American  Baptists ;  on 
the  east,  of  course,  by  the  Bay  of  Bengal ;  on  the  south 
by  the  Wesleyan  and  the  Reformed  Arcot  fields;  and 
on  the  west  by  the  Arcot  field.  Our  field  is  rather 
a  remarkable  one  in  this,  that  on  our  territory,  no 
other  society,  Protestant  or  Roman  Catholic,  is  doing 
mission  work.  There  is  therefore  no  duplication  of 
Christian  effort,  although  there  is  plenty  of  heathen 
opposition.  The  fact,  however,  that  here  is  a  field  of 
a  million  souls  that  is  solely  dependent  on  our  efforts 
to  sow  the  Gospel  seed  is  a  challenge  for  us  to  do  our 
utmost;  a  challenge  such  as  we  have  never  before 
received,  at  least  in  the  foreign  field. 

(64) 


OUR    MISSION    P'lELD    IN    INDIA 


65 


|20'  130'       ~         |W  |50"  |80° 


Hcrmannsburg  Mission  Territory  in  Teltiguland,  India. 
9    Mission  Station.              (§)  Cities.                o  Villages.  *****  Canal. 

-     —   Railmals.  Hig-hways  Southern    Ror  ]<t 


Map  of  Our  Mission  Field. 


66  OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 

The  country  is  in  sections  quite  hilly  and  rocky, 
being  traversed  the  entire  length  by  the  Eastern  ghats 
(hills).  Besides  many  of  the  plains  are  too  sandy  and 
dry,  as  well  as  salty,  to  be  productive  of  much  vegeta- 
tion. Much  of  the  land  can  therefore  be  designated 
as  waste.  Thorny  underbrush  and  cacti  seem  to  be 
the  only  vegetation  that  will  take  root  in  many  places. 
This  growth,  interspersed  here  and  there  with  a  few 
trees  of  nobler  species  and  proportions,  the  natives  call 
jungle.  Goats,  sheep  and  cattle  find  their  way  through 
and  around  this  bush  and  pick  a  scanty  living  of  grass 
and  leaves.  Also  snakes,  jackals,  some  members  of 
the  deer  family,  leopards  and  a  few  tigers  grudgingly 
share  this  thorny  jungle. 

Where  water  can  be  had  for  irrigation  we  find 
some  very  fine  and  fertile  farming  land.  Here  are 
to  be  seen  waving  fields  of  rice  and  millet,  mango  or- 
chards, cocoanut  palms  and  bananas ;  also  fine  pastures 
and  vegetable  gardens  with  practically  no  dormant 
season  throughout  the  year.  Where  there  is  no  irriga- 
tion or  where  it  is  insufficient,  the  growth  of  the  crops 
is  dependent  on  the  early  rains,  the  south-west  mon- 
soon ;  and  on  the  latter  rains,  the  north-east  monsoon. 
When  one  or  both  of  these  monsoons  fail  there  is 
dearth  and  threatening  famine  in  the  land.  When 
they  fail  for  two  successive  years  starvation  stares 
many  people  in  the  face  and  relief  measures  must  be 
taken. 

The  temperature  of  this  district,  I  should  say, 
ranges  between  about  76°  and  110°  in  the  shade.    Dur- 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA  fj 

ing  April,  May  and  June  on  the  plains  it  becomes 
almost  unbearably  hot  to  an  xA-merican  or  European. 
From  about  the  fifteenth  of  July  on  one  can.  by  keep- 
ing out  of  the  sun,  manage  to  endure  the  heat  without 
serious  results.  From  October  to  March  the  climate 
is  quite  pleasant.  There  is  of  course  no  frost  and  no 
snow.  And  our  mission  boys  say  the  only  chance  to 
see  ice  is  to  go  to  Madras  where  they  make  it  or  catch 
a  chance  to  see  it  in  the  refrigerator  car  of  the  ''Bom- 
bay Mail." 

In  this  territory  of  stony,  thorny,  as  well  as  good 
ground  our  mission  field  is  situated.  I  will  attempt 
to  tell  you,  somewhat  in  detail,  of  the  ten  main  sta- 
tions of  the  field  as  I  found  them  on  a  tour  of  inspec- 
tion. It  will  not  be  necessary  at  this  point  to  describe 
the  properties  of  each  station  in  detail,  as  a  complete 
list  of  grounds  and  buildings,  together  with  their  valua- 
tion, is  now  in  the  hands  of  your  Board.  Recom- 
mendations also  with  reference  to  the  future  of  the 
work  at  the  different  stations  will  appear  in  a  subse- 
quent part  of  this  report  under  the  head  of  "Recom- 
mendations." 

Puttur 

For  convenience'  sake  let  us  begin  with  Puttur, 
our  first  station  after  leaving  Madras  on  the  Bombay 
Railway.  This  is  the  newest  station  of  the  entire 
field,  work  having  been  begun  here  in  1900. 

The  mission  compound,  a  short  distance  from  the 
town,  is  rather  picturesquely  situated  among  the  rocky 


68  OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 

hills.  Not  far  to  the  south  is  the  "Nagary  Nose"  a 
striking  nasal  promontory  on  one  of  the  hills.  A 
little  to  the  east  is  ''Lot  and  his  daughters,"  three 
rock  pillars  resembling  fossilized  giants,  especially  in 
the  moonlight.  Just  back  of  the  church  on  a  hill  of 
granite  is  the  poised  rock  which  Brother  Nicholson 
thought  he  could  roll  from  its  pedestal.  He  went  up 
one  day  to  do  the  *'stunt"  but  came  home  reporting 
the  boulder  as  big  as  a  house.  To  the  west  of  Puttur 
is  the  hill  with  the  hole  through  it.  In  the  evening 
with  the  setting  sun  back  of  it,  it  reminds  one  of 
heaven's  gates  ajar.  Indeed  the  station  of  Puttur  is 
altogether  lovely. 

The  mission  seems  to  be  well  situated  and  in  time 
should  become  the  center  of  an  extensive  work. 
There  are  80  villages  to  be  reached  from  this  point. 
(The  number  of  villages  to  be  reached  from  each  main 
station  I  take  from  a  former  Hermannsburg  report.) 
At  present  work  is  being  done  at  five  out-stations. 
This,  however,  means  that  more  than  five  villages  are 
being  reached.  At  the  main  station,  Puttur,  there  are 
really  three  compounds.  They  give  location  to  a  good 
church  building,  two  missionary  bungalows,  and  a 
number  of  teachers'  residences,  a  boys'  hostel,  servants' 
quarters  and  outbuildings.  At  present  the  Nicholsons 
occupy  one  bungalow,  while  the  other  is  used  to  house 
the  middle  school ;  but  this  and  the  boys'  hostel  are  en- 
tirely overcrowded.  About  130  boys  attend  school 
in  this  building  and  about  27  are  crowded  into  a 
hostel  that  should  not  accommodate  more  than  12  or  15.- 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 


69 


A    Welcome    Arch. 


70  OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 

There  are  three  primary  schools  in  the  village  of  Put- 
tur,  a  Tamil  school,  one  for  the  Telugu  boys  and  a 
girls'  school.  A  Tamil  school  is  conducted  here  be- 
cause it  is  near  the  border  between  the  Tamil  and  the 
Telugu  language  areas. 

The  buildings  are  in  a  fair  state  of  preservation, 
but  here,  as  well  as  at  all  the  stations  of  the  mission 
held,  rather  extensive  repairs  are  needed,  since,  during 
the  last  five  years,  little  was  done  in  this  direction. 
The  grounds  about  the  newer  bungalow  which  is  now 
used  as  a  school  building,  are  somewhat  shadeless,  but 
steps  have  already  been  taken  to  plant  trees.  Rev.  C. 
Scriba,  resident  at  Kodur,  is  the  missionary  in  charge 
of  the  work  at  Puttur. 

Tirupati 

The  next  station  northward  about  23  miles  from 
Puttur  is  Tirupati.  This  station,  if  not  quite  as  pic- 
turesque as  Puttur,  at  least  has  this  distinction,  that  its 
hills  are  sacred.  As  I  look  up  from  writing  this  re- 
port I  can  see  the  long  steep  path  winding  up  the 
sacred  hill  to  the  temple  of  the  gods  on  its  crest.  And 
if  1  take  a  field  glass  I  can  see  the  weary  pilgrims 
slowly  praying  their  way  to  the  top.  I  am  told  that 
about  two  thousand  pilgrims  daily,  from  all  parts  of 
India,  climb  this  hill  to  the  idol  shrine  at  the  top ;  and 
that  the  annual  offerings  made  to  these  gods  at  this 
station  amount  to  about  $300,000.00.  Many  of  the 
people  come  in  rags,  but  they  leave  their  last  rupee  to 
win  the   favor  of  an  imagined   deity.      Because  this 


OUR   MISSION   FIELD   IN   INDIA  71 

place  is  a  "high  place"  of  Hinduism  I  think  there  is 
here  a  certain  fanaticism  against  everything  Christian. 
But  this  is  all  the  more  reason  why  we  should  be  on 
the  ground  with  the  Gospel. 

We  have  here  practically  three  compounds,  the 
east,  or  old  compound,  which  contains  the  high  school, 
and  the  west  compounds  on  which  are  located  the 
church  and  two  good  bungalows.  The  newer  of  the 
bungalows,  known  as  the  Zenana,  we  think  is  the 
gem  of  the  entire  field.  It  is  solidly  built  in  beautiful 
proportions;  and  its  creamy  whiteness  against  the 
green  background  is  of  most  pleasing  eltect.  The 
older  of  the  bungalows,  also  of  good  design  and  con- 
struction is  now  occupied  by  Rev.  Burger,  and  Rev. 
Wilch,  tind  is  the  bungalow  which  your  commissioner 
occupied  while  in  that  held.  It  is  a  sort  of  general- 
staff  headquarters.  A  hostel  for  the  Christian  boys 
of  the  high  school  is  also  on  these  grounds,  besides 
six  other  residences  for  teachers,  catechists  and  ser- 
vants. The  buildings,  with  the  exception  of  those  on 
the  high  school  compound,  are  in  a  fairly  good  state  of 
preservation.  There  are  320  students  in  the  high 
school,  and  repairs  and  enlargements  are  necessary. 
More  of  this  subsequently.  The  services  and  after- 
noon Sunday-school  here  are  conducted  either  by  Mr. 
Christian,  a  deacon,  or  Rev.  Burger.  About  100 
villages  are  within  reach  of  this  station,  but  there  is 
great  need  of  more  aggressive  mission  work  being 
done.  In  several  of  these  villages  we  have  schools  at 
the  present  time. 


72 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA  73 

There  is  also  sufficient  ground  adjoining  Tirupati, 
belonging  to  the  mission,  on  which  a  hospital  could  be 
erected,  if  it  is  found  after  a  careful  survey  to  be  a 
suitable  place  for  such  an  institution. 

I  think  Renigunta,  a  railroad  center  about  six 
niilt's  from  Tirupati,  should  receive  more  attention 
tlian  has  hitherto  been  the  case.  A  neat  and  substan- 
tial chapel  is  located  here  and  a  good  school  could, 
no  doubt,  be  established. 

Kodur 

Going  northward  about  Ji  miles  from  Tirupati 
we  come  to  Kodur,  one  of  the  two  stations  purchased 
from  the  Hermannsburg  Society  before  the  War. 
This  station  is  also  situated  in  a  hilly  country  and  has 
the  distinction  of  having  the  best  climate  in  the  entire 
mission  held ;  this  is  principally  due  to  the  elevation, 
it  being  higher  than  any  other  station.  Besides  the 
church,  mission  bungalow  and  usual  buildings  of  the 
compound,  the  lace  school  has  found  temporary  quar- 
ters here  and  the  leper  asylum  is  situated  not  far  from 
the  town.  Rev.  C.  Scriba  and  his  wife  have  charge 
of  the  work,  Mrs.  Scriba  supervising  the  lace  school, 
while  Rev.  Scriba  looks  after  the  held  work  and  the 
leper  asylum.  The  institution  is  located  about  a  mile 
and  a  half  from  Kodur.  and  is  well  situated  for  its 
purpose,  with  perhaps  the  exception,  that  a  river  must 
be  forded  to  reach  the  place,  and  during  the  rainy 
season  this  stream  becomes  somewhat  turbulent.  The 
institution   grounds   contain    about    17  acres,   part   of 


74  C)UR   MISSION    FIELD   IN   INDIA 

which  is  covered  with  a  promising  mango  orchard. 
I<.ecently  a  Government  official  visited  the  grounds  with 
the  view  of  possibly  locating  a  large  government  leper 
asylum  there,  and  giving  us  the  care  of  the  work.  If 
we  can  promise  a  capable  doctor  we  may  get  the  insti- 
tution. It  would  be  a  splendid  opportunity  to  do 
spiritual  work  among  this  most  unfortunate  class  in 
India.  At  present  there  are  ii  small  buildings  on  the 
grounds  and  25  leper  inmates.  Rev.  Scriba  tells  me 
there  are  at  least  200  of  these  unfortunates  in  Kodur 
and  environs,  but  the  great  difficulty  is  to  get  them  to 
come  to  the  asylum  for  treatment.  This  fact  I  think 
has  prompted  the  Government  to  proceed  to  erect 
asylums  and  compel  the  afflicted  to  go  to  them  for 
treatment  as  well  as  segregation.  The  disease  seems 
to  be  spreading,  at  least  in  certain  areas. 

After  our  missionaries  are  located  in  their  re- 
spective fields,  it  would  be  perhaps  better  to  transfer 
the  lace  school  back  to  Gudur,  where  a  separate  build- 
ing has  been  erected  for  the  purpose,  and  where,  after 
passing  the  primary  grades,  the  brighter  girls  could 
l)e  taken  into  the  girls'  boarding  school  and  the  more 
backward  onces  could  continue  at  lace  work.  A  good 
student  should  not  be  held  back,  simply  to  make  lace ; 
while  dull  and  backward  pupils  should  rather  be  taught 
lace-making,  than  continued  in  their  books  when  little 
or  no  progress  can  be  made. 

For  several  years  the  calls  for  lace  seemed  to  lag. 
but  now  the  difficulty  is  to  fill  the  orders  that  are  com- 
ing in.     Our  good  American  customers  will  have  to 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA  75 

be  a  little  patient  and  give  our  lace  makers  time  to 
catch  up.  You  know  making  lace  by  hand  is  slow 
work  even  in  America. 

At  the  request  of  a  number  of  citizens  and  also 
at  the  request  of  Rev.  Scriba  a  middle  school  is  to  be 
established  at  Kodur.  With  the  beginning  of  May 
next  the  school  is  to  be  in  operation.  This  will  give 
our  work  an  impetus  in  this  place.  There  is  also 
plenty  of  room  for  the  extension  of  the  work  in  this 
held,  especially  westward. 

Kalahasti 

Kalahasti  is  a  very  idolatrous  looking  town, 
heathen  temples  and  shrines  on  every  hand.  And  in 
the  town  itself  we  really  have  no  foothold.  The  mis- 
sion compound  is  about  three  quarters  of  a  mile  away, 
and  about  three  miles  from  the  railway  station.  The 
bungalow  and  church  are  in  faily  good  repair,  the 
school  is  very  small,  having  only  about  seven  children 
in  attendance  at  present.  The  children  from  the  town 
cannot  be  drawn  to  the  school  and  it  is  a  question 
whether  the  school  should  be  taken  to  the  town,  since 
the  Government  has  recently  established  schools 
there.  But  it  seems  that  in  some  way  we  must  bring 
the  Gospel  into  this  citadel  of  Hinduism.  It  remains 
for  the  missionary  to  see  how  this  can  best  be  done. 
To  offset  the  rather  discouraging  prospect  in  Kala- 
hasti itself  there  is  at  one  of  the  out-stations,  Christa- 
mitta,  a  group  of  about  80  faithful  Christians.  They 
should  have  a  new  chapel  as  soon  as  possible.     Pas- 


76  OUR   MISSION    FIELD   IN   INDIA 

tor  Isaac  has  been  faithfully  caring  for  the  Kalahasti 
field  since  the  removal  of  the  missionaries.  With  a 
missionary  located  at  Venkatagiri  this  station  should 
be  cared  for  until  our  mission  force  can  be  increased, 
when  I  think  the  work  at  this  place  should  be  taken 
up  energetically.  It  will  be  difficult,  but  until  we  have 
done  our  utmost  we  dare  not  think  of  turning  aside. 
There  are  also  many  villages  in  the  neighborhood 
which  need  school  and  Gospel  work. 

Venkatagiri 

This  rather  important  rajah  seat  lies  some  miles 
northwest  of  Kalahasti.  The  town  which  is  also 
some  distance  from  the  mission  compound  is  of  con- 
siderable size  and  importance.  There  is  a  very  pretty 
and  nicely  located  bungalow  at  this  place.  The  church 
is  commodious  enough,  but  is  badly  in  need  of  a  new- 
floor  and  organ.  The  school  here  is  also  quite  small. 
As  at  Kalahasti  the  work  is  rather  far  away  from  the 
station  but  none-the-less  important.  A  missionar\' 
should  be  located  here  as  soon  as  possible.  His  pres- 
ence is  badly  needed.  There  is  a  rather  productive 
piece  of  land  in  possession  of  the  mission  which  would 
afford  a  good  location  for  an  old  folks'  home  and 
orphans'  home.  We  should  have  such  homes  at  one 
of  the  stations,  where  especially  the  wandering  aged 
widows,  as  well  as  the  homeless  children,  might  find 
a  home.  This  would  be  a  good  place,  and  the  land 
could  be  at  least  partially  worked  by  the  inmates  to 
the   advantage   of   the   institution   as   well   as   to   the 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA  ^'J 


Old  Chapel  at  Gudur. 


y%  OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 

physical  well-being  of  the  inmates.     A  little  work  is 
good  for  the  old  people  also  in  India. 

Gudur 

Proceeding  northeast  from  V'enkatagiri  about 
25  miles  we  come  to  Gudur,  the  railway  center  of  the 
field.  This  point  is  easily  reached  from  any  point  in 
the  mission  territory.  For  this  reason  it  is  to  become 
the  conference  center.  Indeed  the  railway  facilities 
of  the  field  are  almost  ideal.  Within  about  eight  or 
nine  hours  every  missionary  in  the  territory  can  be 
in  Gudur. 

The  material  equipment  on  the  compound  at 
Gudur  is  quite  extensive,  there  being  a  large  church, 
three  bungalows,  girls'  boarding  school,  lace  school, 
grade  schools  and  an  array  of  smaller  residences  and 
out-buildings.  Extensive  repairs  however  are  im- 
perative; some  of  this  work  is  now  in  progress. 
Some  of  the  apparently  useless  and  disintegrating 
compound  walls  can  be  removed,  others  will  be  re- 
paired. The  whole  place  can  be  made  quite  attractive 
and  pleasant.  The  compound  is  well  located  and  in 
time  we  hope  that  it  may  teem  with  activity  and  be  a 
great  blessing  to  the  entire  neighborhood. 

It  is  proposed  to  re-open  the  girls'  school  here 
about  Jan.  i,  192 1.  Rev.  Oberdorfer  is  to  be  the 
missionary  in  charge  of  the  station,  with  Miss  Laura 
Nicholson  at  the  head  of  the  girls'  school.  There 
are  prospects  of  opening  with  20  or  25  girls  in  the 
lower  classes.     It  is  hoped  to  eventually  develop  the 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA  79 

school  into  a  high  school.  It  should  not  be  necessary 
for  the  girls  of  the  mission,  capable  of  advancing  and 
desiring  a  high  school  education,  to  seek  school  facili- 
ties in  other  missions. 

If  the  lace  school  is  again  located  at  this  place 
and  the  girls'  school  attains  the  expected  proportions 
the  present  buildings  will  not  only  be  completely  oc- 
cupied but  some  additions  will  have  to  be  made.  If 
the  work  prospers  the  matter  of  additional  buildings 
here,  as  well  as  elsewhere  in  the  mission,  will  be 
gladly  met. 

Rapur 

This  station  lies  22  miles  northwest  of  Gudur 
and  is  without  rail  connections.  The  highway,  how- 
ever, from  Gudur  is  quite  good.  There  is  one  river 
ford,  which,  during  the  rains,  is  difficult  of  crossing; 
otherwise  there  are  no  difficulties  at  any  time  of  the 
year. 

A  small  church,  bungalow,  school  house,  and 
several  residences  are  to  be  found  on  the  compound. 
All  buildings  are  rather  badly  in  need  of  repairs. 
With  reference  to  the  town  of  Rapur  the  compound 
is  not  well  situated,  it  being  practically  surrounded  by 
undesirable  residence  quarters.  The  town,  however. 
is  situated  in  a  fertile  valley  with  a  range  of  wooded 
hills  to  the  west. 

Temporarily  at  least,  the  missionary  at  Gudur 
can  oversee  the  work  at  Rapur,  with  a  deacon  in 
residence  on  the  compound.     It  may  be  a  question  as 


8o 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 


Missionary  Residence  at  Vacadn. 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA  8l 

to  whether  we  should  look  forward  to  locating  a 
missionary  at  this  place.  Personally,  I  believe  the 
field  could  be  made  extensive  enough,  and  could  be 
developed  sufficiently  to  keep  a  man  busy.  There  are 
a  number  of  hopeful  villages  in  the  territory.  In 
one  village  we  found  all  but  one  family  professing 
Christianity,  another  village  appealed  for  a  school, 
a  third  was  anxious  to  have  a  missionary  come  to 
them.  There  is  no  other  missionary  agency  at  work- 
in  the  district.  We  must  care  for  and  extend  the 
work.     It  is  ours  to  do. 

Vacadu 

Going  eastward  about  i8  miles  from  (iudur  we 
come  to  Vacadu.  also  a  station  without  railway  con- 
nections. But,  like  Rapur,  it  is  connected  with  Gudur 
or  ISTayudupet  by  a  good  highway,  but  with  a  sandy 
river  ford  just  outside  of  Vacadu.  With  the  excep- 
tion of  the  missionary  bungalow  the  buildings  here 
are  badly  in  need  of  repair. 

The  church  building  has  deteriorated  to  such  an 
extent  that  it  will  have  to  be  razed.  Divine  services 
are  now  being  held  in  the  bungalow.  The  whole 
work  from  this  center  needs  to  be  taken  up  anew. 
Much  of  the  territory  has  really  never  been  worked. 
For  example,  east  of  Vacadu  about  6  miles  is  the 
east  coast  canal.  It  is  quite  an  artery  of  traffic. 
Many  villages  lie  adjacent  to  its  banks.  This  canal 
traverses  our  territory  for  a  distance  of  50  to  60 
miles.     To  my  knowledge  there  is  not  a  single  out- 


82  OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 

station  along  this  entire  stretch.  It  may  be  found 
that  a  missionary  with  a  canal  house-boat  can  do  a 
great  and  blessed  work  along  this  important  canal. 
This  method  of  missionating  has  been  found  success- 
ful in  some  of  the  adjoining  missions.  We  must 
press  east  and  south  of  Vacadu,  or  we  may  expect 
that  others  will  go  in  where  we  have  failed  to  pro- 
ceed. I  feel  certain  that  aggressive  work  at  Vacadu 
and  environs  will  show  most  encouraging  results. 
The  bungalow  with  slight  repairs  could  be  made  quite 
habitable.  It  is  one  of  those  places  that  seems  to 
hold  out  the  challenge  that  we  do  our  very  best. 

Nayudupet 

Returning  to  Gudur  and  going  south  about  2"^ 
miles  along  the  Madras-Calcutta  railway  we  come 
to  Nayudupet,  the  largest,  and  in  some  respects,  the 
most  important  station  of  the  entire  field.  In  fact  in 
outside  circles  the  entire  mission  is  often  referred  to 
as  the  "Nayudupet  Mission."  The  fame  of  the  Nay- 
udupet brass  band  has  also  extended  far  and  wide. 
For  many  years  this  station  was  the  educational  and 
administrative  center  of  the  Herm^nnsburg  activities. 
The  compounds  and  buildings  are  quite  extensive.  l)iit 
here  also,  repairs  are  needed. 

Resides  the  commodious  church,  there  are  three 
missionary  bungalows,  Pastor  Punitudu's  residence, 
seminary  buildings,  book  depot,  middle  school,  lj©ys' 
hostel,  industrial  department  and  a  number  of  teach- 
ers' residences  and  out-buildings. 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA  83 

With  the  beginning  of  the  new  year  the  Seminary 
is  to  be  re-opened  under  the  direction  of  Rev.  Wilch, 
assisted  by  Mr.  Gabriel.  About  20  students  are  al- 
ready enrolled.  As  soon  as  feasible  the  industrial 
work  should  again  be  taken  up,  and,  in  general,  the 
old  Nayudupet  activities  should  be  put  in  motion. 
This  mission  has  quite  an  extensive  parish  and  Pastor 
Punitudu  is  kept  busy  looking  after  his  large  flock. 
But  here,  as  elsewhere,  it  will  take  some  time  until 
we  fully  get  hold  of  the  work  and  go  forward  ener- 
getically. When  the  new  regime  is  well  estabhshed 
and  our  missionaries  have  grown  into  the  work  we  may 
expect  to  hear  of  distinct  advances  and  numerical  in- 
creases in  this  important  center. 

Sulurpet 

Traveling  20  miles  southward  from  Nayudupet 
on  the  same  railway  line  we  reach  Sulurpet,  the  last 
station  to  be  considered  in  this  sketch.  It  was  here, 
however,  that  the  first  work  was  done  by  the  Her- 
mannsburg  Society,  and  it  was  to  this  place  that  the 
first  missionary  —  Mylius  —  came  in  1864.  Here  the 
Word  was  first  preached  among  this  people  of  idolatry 
and  superstition. 

In  connection  with  this  station  I  must  also  tell  you 
that  repairs  are  needed.  You  may  tire  of  the  reitera- 
tion, but  the  repairs  must  be  made.  School  sessions 
must  be  held  in  the  church,  and  one  teacher  must  live 
in  the  school  because  the  teacher's  house  has  become 
uninhabitable. 


84  OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 

Deacon  Samuel  is  caring  for  the  work  as  best  he 
can,  but  here  also  I  would  urge  that  a  missionary  be 
stationed  as  soon  as  possible.  While  Rev.  Burger 
and  I  were  stopping  at  the  bungalow,  two  Hindu  boys, 
fine  looking  fellows,  came,  asking  to  be  baptized. 
They  had  formerly  studied  in  one  of  our  mission 
schools.  What  a  golden  opportunity  for  a  missionary. 
We  were  told  that  others  were  also  ready  to  take  the 
same  step.  We  directed  the  deacon  to  these  people. 
He  will  do  what  he  can,  but  the  missionary  is  also 
sorely  needed.  Here  also  to  the  south  the  ripening 
fields  are  waiting. 

Rev.  Wilch  will  have  temporary  charge  of  this 
field,  but  as  soon  as  possible  a  man  should  be  sta- 
tioned at  Sulurpet.  I  would  not  be  surprised  if  in  a 
few  years  the  faithful  missionary  in  this  field  could 
report  a  glorious  harvest  of  souls  won  for  Christ. 

Kodai-Kanal 

In  addition  to  the  above  described  properties  and 
work  we  must  also  say  just  a  word  about  the  rest  and 
recreation  station  for  the  missionaries  down  in  the 
hills  of  South  India  at  Kodai-Kanal.  I  did  not  find 
time  generally  to  visit  this  station,  but  our  missionaries 
who  were  there  in  June  and  a  part  of  July  of  this 
past  year  report  that  the  place  is  admirably  adapted 
to  the  intended  purpose,  namely  that  of  providing  a 
place  of  rest  and  recuperation  for  the  tired  mission- 
aries during  the  hottest  part  of  the  year.  The  eleva- 
tion of  the  station  is  about  6000  feet,  and  the  atmos- 


UUK    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 


85 


86  (JUK    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 

phere  always  cool  and  pleasant.  It  was  a  wise  pro- 
vision on  the  part  of  the  Hermannsburg  Society  to 
provide  such  a  refuge  for  its  missionaries.  As  we 
have  entered  into  their  labors  on  the  plains,  so  we 
here  enter  into  their  place  of  rest  on  the  hills.  Our 
missionaries  already  appreciate  this  provision.  There 
are  four  bungalows,  with  ample  grounds  surrounding, 
which  may  be  occupied.  But  here  also  some  repairs 
are  needed. 

Kodai-Kanal  has  become  a  great  gathering  place 
for  missionaries  from  all  parts  of  India.  Various  con- 
ferences are  held  during  the  vacation  period,  and  many 
subjects  of  vital  importance  to  mission  work  are  dis- 
cussed. Time  spent  at  this  place  is  therefore  not 
wasted,  but  here  the  missionary  and  his  family  gather 
physical,  mental  and  spiritual  strength  for  a  renewed 
attack  upon  the  strongholds  of  Satan  in  the  heathen 
world.  The  vacation  period  is  usually  from  four  to 
six  weeks  in  length  and  is  taken  during  the  time  of 
greatest  heat  from  March  to  June;  and  is  so  arranged 
that  not  all  missionaries  are  absent  from  the  mission 
field  at  the  same  time. 

From  this  brief  survey  of  the  field  you  will 
notice  that  two  needs,  above  all  things,  confront  us ; 
one  is  a  material  need,  repairs ;  the  other,  a  spiritual 
need,  missionaries.  Say  what  we  will  about  the  new 
cry  of  autonomy  and  self-help  in  India,  the  fact  re- 
mains that,  in  this  field  at  least,  the  time  for  such  a 
step  has  not  come.  This  is  recognized,  not  only  by 
our  missionaries,  but  by  practically  all  the  native  mis- 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN     INDIA  87 

sion  workers.  We  must  first  send  in  our  best  men  and 
women  and  put  forth  our  best  efforts,  then  only  will 
the  time  of  self-support  and  self-direction  be  brought 
appreciably  nearer  than  it  now  is. 

The   field   is  our   great   opportunity   and    worthy 
of  our  very  best  efforts  in  Jesus'  name. 


CHAPTER  VIII 
Organization  of  the  Forces 

Y()LJK  cuinniissiuner  was  nut  in  the  India  lielcl 
very  long  until  he  was  convinced  that  an 
immediate  organization  of  the  missionaries 
was  imperative,  even  though  there  were  but  few  of 
us  in  the  held  and  but  little  actual  mission  work  had  as 
yet  been  taken  up.  But  it  was  necessary  to  organize  at 
once  for  two  reasons :  the  first,  that  Rev.  Burger,  the 
secretary,  was  holding  everything  together  as  best  he 
could,  but  was  daily  waiting  for  the  arrival  of  the 
missionaries  and  the  commissioner  in  order  that  coun- 
sel might  be  taken  as  to  the  best  method  of  procedure. 
Many  difficulties  were  aw^aiting  adjustment  and  speedy 
action  had  to  be  taken.  Another  reason  for  immediate 
organization  was,  that  a  body  petitioning  the  Govern- 
ment to  be  given  a  large  mission  field  in  India  should 
have  some  organization  of  workers  indicating  its  abil- 
ity to  take  hold  of  a  work  which  had  formerly  been 
an  organized  effort. 

Conference  of  Missionaries 

Accordingly  we  made  use  of  the  ])ower  vested  in 
us  and  submitted  a  constitution  and  by-laws  to  the 
missionaries  on  July  24th,  1920.  After  due  delibera- 
tion the  same  was  adopted  with  few  slight  alterations 

(88) 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA  89 

and  thus  became  the  governing  instrument  of  the 
India  Conference,  of  the  Joint  Synod.  We  trust  the 
Board  and  Synod  found  no  difficulty  in  ratifying  our 
action. 

As  may  be  seen  from  a  copy  of  the  constitution, 
regular  meetings  uf  the  Conference  are  being  held. 
And  from  the  minutes,  copies  of  which  are  being  sent 
you  from  time  to  time  by  the  secretary,  you  can  see 
what  the  Conference  is  doing  and  how  the  work  is 
being  carried  forward.  I  would  suggest  that  you 
carefully  preserve  these  minutes  in  a  separate  file  for 
reference,  which  you  may  already  be  doing. 

I  have  no  doubt  but  that  with  the  present  organ- 
ization our  brethren  in  India  will  be  able  to  carry  on 
the  somewhat  difficult  and  intricate  work  coming  into 
their  care.  Already,  under  the  direction  of  Rev.  Bur- 
ger, they  have  their  hands  well  in  the  work  and  are 
gradually  becoming  accustomed  to  handling  Indian 
problems  in  the  Indian  way  —  patiently.  I  may  state 
parenthetically  that  I  have  been  rather  closely  asso- 
ciated with  conferences  of  various  kinds  during  the 
past  twenty  years  in  America,  but  I  am  sure  our  few 
misionaries  in  India  will  have  more  work  to  do  than 
any  two  conferences  with  which  I  was  associated  in 
this  country.  They  will  have  in  miniature  practically 
all  the  branches  of  Christian  work  as  carried  on  by 
the  Joint  Synod  in  the  home  field.  Their  task  is  no 
small  one  by  any  means.  Give  them  your  heartiest 
assistance. 


90 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 


OUR    MISSION    tlELl)    IN    INDIA  9I 

The  India  Conference  has  also  forwarded  you  a 
copy  of  "Rules  for  Missionaries"  which  we  have  care- 
fully considered  and  have  submitted  to  you  for  adop- 
tion. We  have  not  submitted  these  rules  because  our 
missionaries  at  once  became  anxious  about  their  fur- 
loughs, salaries,  allowances,  etc.,  but  because  we  were 
all  on  the  ground  and  could  study  conditions  first 
hand.  And  since  practically  the  same  rules  prevail  in 
the  United  Lutheran  Church  missions  north  of  us  and 
are  the  outgrowth  of  years  of  exj^>erience  we  deemed 
it  timely  to  discuss  and  submit  a  code  of  rules  for  the 
governance  of  your  missionaries.  In  the  adoption 
of  these  rules  you  will  at  once  have  the  satisfaction 
of  knowing  that  they  also  meet  the  approval  of  the 
men  and  women  in  the  held.  Of  course  you  are  at 
liberty  to  make  any  changes  you  may  deem  proper. 

Conferences  w^ith    the   Native    Mission   Workers 

The  arrangement  prevailing  until  this  mcMith  was 
that  the  secretary,  Rev.  Burger,  met  the  workers,  that 
is,  the  teachers,  catechists,  deacons  and  pastors,  in 
each  main  station  of  the  old  Hermannsburg  field, 
while  Rev.  Scriba  met  the  workers  of  the  Ohio  Sta- 
tions, Kodur  and  Puttur,  in  monthly  conferences. 
Beginning  with  this  month,  November,  1920.  the  Con- 
ference secretary,  and  Rev.  Wilch,  the  treasurer,  will 
assist  in  holding  these  conferences.  Usually  a  subject 
of  general  interest  to  the  mission  is  discussed  with  the 
workers.  Their  individual  difficulties  are  laid  before 
the  missionary  and  such  other  matters  as  need  adjust- 


92  OUR   MISSION   FIELD   IN    INDIA 

merit  are  attended  to.  Not  the  least  among  the  mat- 
ters disposed  of  is  paying  the  workers  their  monthly 
salaries.  This  simple  fact  always  insures  a  good  at- 
tendance. No  roll  need  be  called  nor  record  of  at- 
tendance kept,  for  the  missionaries'  salary  account 
almost  invariably  shows  that  every  member  was  pres- 
ent, unless  prevented  by  serious  illness  or  some  dire 
accident. 

When  once  we  have  missionaries  in  all  of  the 
stations,  then  each  man  will  meet  his  own  workers 
and  the  conferences  can  be  made  more  profitable  than 
is  possible  under  the  present  arrangement.  The  longer 
we  are  here  the  more  we  become  convinced  of  the 
necessity  of  the  missionary  keeping  in  close  touch  with 
the  workers  of  his  field.  The  blessing  of  this  we  have 
seen  in  other  mission  fields  where  the  work  is  well  in 
hand.  Everything  in  India,  at  least  all  that  is 
Indian,  has  a  tendency  to  slow  down  and  loll  into 
lassitude,  and  "let  the  world  turn  'round."  I  think 
the  average  native  worker  expects  to  be  aroused  and 
started  ofif  afresh  every  once  in  a  while  and  feels 
really  disappointed  if  the  anticipated  prodding  does 
not  come  at  the  scheduled  time.  But  remember  this, 
please,  that  if  any  of  us  were  to  be  placed  in  the  posi- 
tion of  many  of  our  village  mission  teachers  in  India 
we  would  also  need  a  mighty  strong  spiritual  stimu- 
lant to  keep  us  on  the  job.  Again,  the  native  worker 
must  be  dealt  with  sympathetically  and  patiently. 

Besides  the  monthly  meetings  with  the  workers 
there  is  also  an  annual  examination  and  conference 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA  93 

which  all  missionaries  and  native  workers  attend. 
This  meeting  is  usually  held  at  Nayudupet,  at  which 
place  it  was  also  held  this  year.  The  purpose  of  the 
examination  is  to  keep  the  workers  at  their  studies  and 
make  such  promotions  as  the  results  of  the  test  war- 
rant. The  examination  questions  are  prepared  by  a 
joint  Lutheran  Committee  in  the  Telugu  country.  I 
will  insert  here  one  of  these  lists,  translated  into 
luiglish,  so  that  you  may  judge  to  some  extent  of  the 
work  required.  Many  of  the  workers  fail  of  promo- 
tion and  some  even  are  demoted.  Of  course  any  one 
having  passed  to  the  grade  of  pastor  is  excused  from 
the  examination  ;  also  deacons  who  do  not  desire  fur- 
ther training. 

Here  is  the  list  of  questions  on  Church  History 
submitted  to  the  third  class  (which  is  next  to  the 
highest)  at  the  annual  examination  at  Nayudupet  this 
year,   1920. 

CHURCH     HISTORY CLASS '  III TIME,    3    HOURS. 

1.  Give  the  history  of  Jerome  and  state  his  qualities. 

2.  Name  books  written  by  St.  Augustine. 

3.  Write  in  detail  their  chief  purpose. 

4.  Give  date,  chief  purpose,  and  result  of  the  Council 
at  Nice. 

5.  Explain  controversy  between  Chrysostom  and  The- 
ophilus  on  the  humanity  of  Christ. 

6.  Who  was  Nestorius?     What  was  his  false  doctrine? 

7.  Into  what  countries  did  the  Nestorians  spread? 
What  about  their  condition   and  number? 

8.  What  evils  did  the  Church  undergo  due  to  Mo- 
hammed? 


94  <-"JR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 

9.  How  did  Christianity  spread  in  Europe,  by  whom, 
and   in   what  countries? 

10.  Why  did  it  not  spread  successfully  in  Asia? 

11.  What  are  the  parts  of  Medieval  History?  Give 
dates. 

12.  What  work  did  Boniface  do  and  what  kind  of  a 
man  was  he  ? 

I'i.  What  were  the  three  tendencies  in  the  Iconoclastic 
war? 

1  \.  When  was  the  inception  of  the  temporal  power  of 
the  popes? 

l-\  Accordin,^  to  the  history  you  have  read  this  year. 
of  what   false  doctrines  must   Indian  Christians  be  careful? 

1  do  not  recall  that  our  fitial  examination  in 
Church  History  at  the  Seminary  in  Cokmibus  was 
stiller  than  this  one.  And  I  confess  I  might  have 
(Hfficulty  right  now  in  making  a  passing  grade  on 
that  hst,  yet  a  number  of  our  Indian  catechists  and 
deacons  evidently  passed  the  test. 

Here  is  a  list,  not  so  difficult,  for  Class  J  on 
r»il)lical   History,   from  the  Old  Testament. 

1.  \\'hat  is  the  central  point  of  Hannah's  song  of 
fli.'inksgiving  ? 

2.  What  were  the  deeds  performed  by  Samuel  after 
Saul    was   anointed   king   of   Israel? 

■  I  What  changes  came  upon  Saul  after  he  was  anointed 
king?      What  morals  do  you  draw  from  this? 

4.  What  were  the  words  of  defiance  uttered  by  Goliath 
when  he  saw  David?      And  what  was  David's  reply? 

5.  On  what  occasion  did  David  spare  Saul's  life? 
(i.     Who   reproved   David,   and   how? 

7.  What  was  the  judgment  of  God  over  the  land  of 
ludah  because  of  the  wickedness  of   Manasseh? 


OLIR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA  95 

S.     What  books  speak  of  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem? 

I'.  How  were  the  wisdom  and  piety  of  David  mani- 
fested? 

1<>.  What  is  written  in  the  Old  Testament  concerning 
the   birth,  death,   and  kingdom  of  Christ? 

Tliese  lists  will  be  sufficient  to  show  that  our  mis- 
sion together  with  the  other  Lutheran  Missions  of 
the  Tclngu  area  endeavor  to  maintain  a  comparatively 
high  standard  among  the  native  workers.  It  shows 
that  effectual  work  is  done  somewhere  along  the  line. 

The  examination  conference  is  always  opened 
with  a  confessional  and  commwnion  service.  This  year 
the  same  was  conducted  by  pastors  Lsaac  and  Puni- 
tiuhi.  It  was  an  impressive  service  as  the  company 
of  130  workers  came  forward  to  the  J^ord's  table. 
It  made  one  feel  that  this  band,  thorouglily  conse- 
crated, could  exert  a  tremeiidous  force  for  righteous- 
ness in  this  held.     .May  this  indeed  be  done. 

X'ariuus  Ijusiness  meetings  were  held.  One  of 
these  was  especially  noteworthy  where  the  Indian 
brethren  agreed  to  relieve  the  missionaries  from  the 
management,  handling  and  responsibility  of  the  funds 
of  these  treasuries,  viz. :  the  ''Savings  Fund,"  the 
"Pension  and  Widow's  Fund"  and  the  "Indian  Lu- 
tleran  Mission  Fund."  This  is  the  first  attempt  in 
this  mission  at  self-help,  but  if  the  native  Christians 
are  ever  to  take  part  in  the  counsels  and  administration 
of  the  Church  in  their  own  midst  a  beginning  must 
be  made  somewhere.  \Vq  have  begun  here.  We  will 
watch  the  exj^eriment  with  considerable  interest.     It 


y6 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 


Missionary  Residence  at  Pnttiir. 


OUR    MISSION   FIELD    IN    INDIA  97 

is  possible  that  in  a  year  hence  one  or  two  of  the 
funds  will  be  radically  changed  or  perhaps  abolished, 
but  this  will  not  necessarily  mean  that  the  administra- 
tion was  a  failure.  The  step  was  already  discussed 
this  year. 

At  one  meeting  of  the  conference  two  very  ex- 
cellent papers  were  read  and  discussed ;  one  on  the 
"History  of  the  Hermannsburg  Mission''  by  Mr.  S. 
Gabriel,  and  another  on  "Education  in  Mission 
Schools"  by  Mr.  R.  Jesudas.  Copies  of  these  papers 
have  been  presented  to  the  Board. 

At  another  session  a  very  warm  welcome  was 
again  extended  the  missionaries  and  commissioner  and 
a  copy  of  a  well  thought  out  appeal,  printed  on  silk 
cloth  and  practically  addressed  to  the  Joint  Synod  was 
handed  to  your  commissioner  on  behalf  of  the  India 
brethren  by  Mr.  J.  William.  A  copy  of  this  document 
is  also  in  the  hands  of  the  Board.  We  of  course  all 
responded  to  the  warm  welcome  and  the  appeal. 

.At  another  time  a  large  children's  meeting  was 
held.  Rev.  Wilch,  chairman.  Also  a  very  impressive 
women's  meeting  was  conducted  by  Miss  Nicholson. 
Sometimes  a  band  concert  would  be  given  or  vocal 
selections  rendered  by  the  boys  of  the  boarding 
schools,  sometimes  in  English,  at  other  times  in 
Telugu.  All  in  all  the  meeting  was  not  unlike  an 
American  synodical  convention  with  its  attendant  serv- 
ices and  entertainments.  The  customary  auto  ride 
was  missing  but  in  lieu  of  that  we  went  about  in  a 
home-made    park-trap    drawn    by    two    sturdy    oxen. 


98  OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 

There  was  less  dust,  less  noise  and  fewer  infractions 
of  the  speed  regulations  than  we  ordinarily  experienced 
in  America. 

When  the  convention  adjourned,  I  stood  at  the 
door  and  as  our  Indian  workers  filed  out  I  grasped 
each  one  by  the  hand,  at  the  same  time  placing  in  it  a 
rupee  as  a  token  from  the  Board.  This  bit  of  re- 
membrance was  highly  appreciated,  and  some  indeed, 
needed  the  coin  in  these  times  of  rising  prices.  135 
rupees  were  given  out ;  this  means  that  this  number 
of  people,  besides  the  missionaries  and  the  young  men 
from  the  boarding  schools  were  in  attendance  at  the 
closing  session.  For  comparison's  sake  we  ask,  how 
many  more  were  present  when  the  Joint  Synod  ad- 
journed at  Blue  Island  this  year?  I  ask  the  question 
to  give  you  an  idea  of  the  size  of  our  India  Mission. 
What  is  needed  is  that  the  forces  be  aroused,  equipped 
and  directed.  Then  under  the  guidance  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  a  great  work  can  be  developed  with  the  now 
somewhat  dormant  forces  on  the  field. 

Mission  Workers*  Salaries 

At  this  point  perhaps,  better  than  anywhere  else 
in  this  report,  a  word  should  be  said  with  reference 
to  the  pay  of  the  native  workers.  This  was  one  of 
the  problems  hanging  fire  when  we  came  into  the 
India  field.  And  we  found  it  a  most  difficult  problem 
too.  It  is  quite  likely  that  we  have  spent  more  time 
and  discussion  upon  this  question  than  upon  any  other 
single  issue. 


OUK    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA  99 

It  was  apparent  that  in  view  of  the  rising  prices 
of  food-stuffs  in  India,  especially  rice  and  cotton 
goods,  we  would  have  to  advance  the  salaries  of  the 
workers  to  keep  them  above  the  hopeless  debt  line. 
We  consulted  with  the  missionaries  of  other  missions 
and  found  that  the  same  conditions  were  facing  them 
also.  After  going  over  the  scale  of  the  salaries,  as 
determined  upon  or  contemplated  in  other  missions 
about  us,  our  Conference  decided  to  drop  all  special 
famine  allow^ances  which  had  been  paid  the  workers 
during  the  last  few  years,  and  instead  add  12  rupees 
monthly  to  the  salary  of  each  worker.  The  famine 
allowance  had  averaged  about  6j/2  rupees  per  month 
per  worker.  The  new  scale  ranges  the  salaries  from 
a  minimum  of  19  to  a  maximum  of  48  rupees  per 
month.  Our  investigations  on  the  cost  of  living  here 
lead  us  to  believe,  that  even  with  this  advance,  con- 
ditions are  barely  met.  Translated  into  dollars  and 
cents  it  means  that  a  family  here  must  live  on  a  salary 
of  from  seven  to  16  dollars  per  month.  In  view 
of  conditions  already  set  forth  in  this  report  this  is 
not  impossible,  but  even  here,  it  requires  the  strictest 
economy.  It  should  also  be  stated  that  many  of  our 
workers  or  members  of  their  families  earn  something 
on  the  side,  which  also  helps  in  the  aggregate.  But 
it  is  a  question  whether  it  would  not  be  better  for  the 
mission  w^ork  to  insist  that  the  workers  give  their 
entire  time  to  it  and  pay  them  higher  salaries,  rather 
than  have  them  earn  something  on  the  side,  and  per- 
haps neglect  the  work  of  their  calling.     Should  we 


ICX)  OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 

also  not  insist  on  more  efficient  work,  and  pay  accord- 
ingly, thus  finally  eliminating  the  cheap  man  ?  These 
are  questions  that  as  the  missionaries  and  Board  gain 
experience  can  be  more  adequately  met.  I  may  also 
say  in  this  connection  that  the  salaries  now  paid  our 
native  workers  are  about  on  a  par  with  those  paid 
in  neighboring  missions,  although  in  several  missions 
further  increases  are  contemplated. 

It  should  also  be  stated  that  as  a  further  allevi- 
ating measure,  return  fees  of  boys  educated  by  the 
mission  beyond  the  high  school  entrance  grade  have 
been  reduced  to  a  minimum,  provided  they  then  con- 
tinue in  the  service  of  the  mission.  Boarding  school 
fees  have  also  been  reduced  and  in  the  case  of  orphans 
no  fees  are  charged.  These  resolutions  have  not  been 
hastily  made  nor  are  they  mere  outbursts  of  gener- 
osity, but  have  been  reached  after  much  earnest  dis- 
cussion and  investigation.  We  hope  the  Board  will  be 
ready  to  ratify  these  conclusions. 


CHAPTER  IX 
The  Evangelistic  Work 

AFTER  all,  the  chief  work  of  the  mission  is 
and  must  remain  the  direct  preaching  of 
the  Gospel.  This  is  the  first  as  well  as  the 
last  duty  of  the  missionary.  It  is  fundamental  to  all 
mission  work.  When  this  work  is  lost  sight  of  in  a 
maze  of  humanitarian  efforts  and  civilizing  agencies 
a  mission  has  ceased  to  have  a  distinct  message  to  the 
heathen  world. 

It  is  therefore  imperative  that  the  missionary,  as 
soon  as  possible,  learn  the  language  of  the  people  to 
whom  he  is  to  be  the  Gospel  messenger.  This  our 
men  and  women  are  doing  just  as  rapidly  as  possible. 
And  they  are  making  considerable  progress  in  their 
Telugu. 

Services  in  the  churches  are  being  held  practic- 
ally every  Lord's  day.  They  are  conducted  either  by 
the  native  pastors,  one  of  the  deacons,  or  the  mis- 
sionaries, Burger  or  Scriba.  We  have  attended  a 
number  of  these  services  and  find  they  are  conducted 
according  to  Lutheran  forms.  I  have  also  been  as- 
sured that  the  contents  of  the  sermons  were  in  accord 
with  the  Lutheran  faith.  Of  course,  I  have  under- 
stood nothing  except  the  Amen.  Our  native  Telugu 
preachers  are  not  very  demonstrative  in  their  preach- 
ing.    They  do  not  stampede  their  auditors,  like  many 

(101) 


102 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 


OUR   MISSION    FIELD   IN   INDIA  IO3 

of  our  colored  pulpit  orators  in  America.  They  warm 
up  to  their  subject,  but  there  is  no  rant  or  raving. 
They  use  short  sentences  and  simple  illustrations. 
There  is  scarcely  ever  any  argumentation.  They  do 
not  develop  doctrines,  they  recite  the  Gospel.  From 
what  I  am  told  I  think  they  should  perhaps  be  a  little 
more  pointed  in  their  preaching;  a  little  more  ''Thou 
art  the  man"  would  help  to  awaken  some  of  the  slug- 
gish sinners.  But  here,  as  elsewhere,  some  of  that 
"mild  and  gentle"  Hindu  nature  still  shows  through. 
Our  Telugu  folks  also  like  to  sing.  They  like  plenty 
of  chanting  in  the  liturgical  service  and  so  the  Her- 
mannsburg  mission  made  provision  for  this  in  its 
forms  of  service.  I  think  our  missionaries  will  do 
well  to  follow  in  general  the  same  forms.  The  great 
singers  among  our  Telugu  brethren  are  the  boys, 
especially  those  from  the  boarding  schools.  They  can 
sing  for  hours  without  tiring,  and  you  should  hear 
them !  I  wish  you  all  might  have  the  privilege.  A 
dozen  of  them  will  create  more  volume  than  the 
average  American  congregation  of  several  hundred. 
They  simply  pour  out  their  young  souls  in  song.  They 
readily  sing  English  melodies,  German  chorals,  or 
Telugu  songs.  The  boarding  boys  at  Nayudupet,  Put- 
tur  and  Tirupati  are  especially  to  be  commended  for 
their  fine  singing.  Mr.  S.  Gabriel  of  Nayudupet  de- 
serves special  commendation  for  his  great  interest  and 
skill  in  church  music.  In  fact,  Nayudupet  is  famous 
in  India  as  the  musical  center  among  the  Protestant 
missions.     We   hope   this   good   reputation   may   not 


i04  OUR    MISSION    FIELD   IN   INDiA 

wane  under  Ohio  direction.  Let  our  Telugu  brethren 
be  the  singing  church  among  the  Christian  bodies  of 
India;  I  am  sure  Hermannsburg  will  also  rejoice  if 
her  efforts  in  this  direction  are  continued. 

As  I  write  this  report  a  petition  is  handed  in  by 
one  of  the  native  workers,  asking  that  he  may  be 
permitted  to  sing  the  Gospel  among  the  Hindus,  after 
the  manner  of  Telugu  song  they  so  much  like  to  hear. 
It  is  claimed  the  average  villager  will  listen  more 
attentively  if  the  Bible  story  is  sung  or  chanted  rather 
than  spoken.  In  an  adjoining  mission  this  is  done  to 
some  extent,  with  what  success  I  do  not  know ;  but 
several  of  our  workers  are  enthusiastic  for  it;  in  fact 
they  have  tried  it  out,  they  say,  with  good  effect.  Otir 
missionaries  will  in  time  be  able  to  judge  in  the  mat- 
ter. I  mention  it  here  because  it  shows  a  musical 
tendency  in  the  people.  Personally  I  have  not  been 
able  to  appreciate  the  weird,  despairing  note  of  the 
Telugu  chanting,  but  if  the  natives  appreciate  it  my 
tastes  need  not  be  considered. 

Not  only  in  the  churches  and  in  the  chapels  is 
the  Gospel  preached,  but  under  the  village  shade 
trees  or  on  the  street  corners  and  in  the  homes. 
Some  of  the  most  efficient  work  is  done,  when,  like  the 
disciples  of  old,  one  brother  tells  another,  "We  have 
found  the  Christ." 

There  are  practically  three  kinds  of  evangelistic 
tours  which  can  be  made  here  almost  any  time.  One 
kind  is  that  a  company  of  Christians  goes  out  from 
the  mission  center  to  the  surrounding  villages.     This 


OUR   MISSION    FIELD   IN    INDIA  lo5 

can  best  be  done  in  the  early  morning  or  evening.  I 
have  accompanied  such  a  band  a  number  of  times  on 
Sunday  evenings  when  the  people  had  come  in  from 
the  fields.  Here  at  Tirupati  the  boarding  boys  usually 
lead  the  way  into  a  village,  singing  a  hymn;  some- 
times they  have  instrumental  accompaniment.  As 
they  sing  their  way  to  the  village  commons  under  the 
shade  trees,  a  number  of  people  follow  them,  others 
gather  about,  and  soon  a  crowd  of  men,  women  and 
children  are  ready  for  the  Glad  Tidings.  Remember 
that  the  listeners  are  practically  all  heathen.  One  of 
the  older  Christians  of  the  party  then  begins  to  relate 
some  Gospel  story,  and  he  usually  holds  the  attention 
until  the  end.  Then  another  hymn  is  sung,  followed 
by  another  short  address  by  one  of  the  Christians, 
usually  of  the  nature  of  a  personal  testimony  of  the 
Gospel.  Then  perhaps  another  hymn  is  sung  and  the 
more  experienced  members  of  the  evangelistic  party 
speak  personally  to  some  of  the  listeners ;  perhaps  one 
will  address  the  children.  This  personal  interview 
frequently  brings  out  the  fact  that  a  number  who  have 
listened  believe  in  Christ,  but,  on  account  of  caste 
and  family  ties,  are  afraid  to  come  out  and  openly 
confess  His  name.  They  frequently  say :  *'Get  the 
chief  men  of  the  village  or  my  brothers  and  we  will 
all  come  together."  "Cowardly,"  you  say.  Yes,  in  the 
abstract;  but  when  we  remember  that  the  individual 
who  comes  out  alone  to  confess  Christ  will  be  driven 
out  of  his  caste,  out  of  his  home,  out  of  his  village, 
that  his  life  will  be  endangered,  and  in  every  possible 


I06  OUR    MISSION   FIELD   IN   INDIA 

way,  his  existence  made  wretched,  we  can  understand 
his  hesitancy.  How  many  of  us  would  be  able  to 
stand  up  bravely  for  Christ  under  such  ostracism? 
Again  we  must  be  patient  with  these  people  and  keep 
on  testifying  among  them.  Some  fine  morning  or 
evening  a  mass  movement  will  start  and  a  whole  vil- 
lage will  become  Christian,  and  then  perhaps  an  ad- 
joining village,  and  so  on.  Mass  movements  are  not 
abnormal  in  India.  The  people  have  always  moved 
in  the  mass  or  caste-wise.  With  the  natives,  religion 
is  above  all  else  social,  a  matter  of  the  community, 
the  caste.  "The  village  deity  was  goddess  of  all  the 
village ;  together  they  suffered  for  her  wrath,  together 
they  appeased  her  in  sacrifice.  If  now,  Jesus  is  to  be 
the  God  instead.  He  surely  must  be  God  of  the  whole 
village  too."  Thus  thinks  the  Hindu,  but  he  seldom 
acts  alone.  He  moves  in  the  mass.  This  fact  must 
always  be  reckoned  with  in  our  mission  work  in  this 
country. 

Sometimes  in  village  preaching,  a  member  of  the 
Brahmin  caste  will  break  in  on  the  preacher  with  a 
question  or  two,  especially  if  the  speaker  is  antago- 
nizing the  gods  of  Hinduism.  But  there  is  no  use  to 
argue.  You  get  nowhere.  It  is  best  not  to  antago- 
nize much,  but  to  present  the  plain  simple  Gospel. 

Another  very  similar  form  of  evangelistic  work 
is  that  the  missionary,  or  several  of  them,  together 
with  some  native  helpers,  go  on  tour,  as  they  say. 
They  take  a  tent  and  an  entire  camp  outfit  and  go  to 
some  central  location  among  a  group  of  villages;  then 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA  I07 


Interior  of  Church  at  Xayudupet. 


I08  OUR    MISSION    FIELD   IN    INDIA 

they  pray  and  sing  and  teach  and  preach  among  the 
people  until  they  have  reached  the  ends  of  all  the 
villages  in  the  group.  Then  they  pitch  their  tent 
farther  on  until  they  have  made  the  round  of  their 
field.  This  work  is  usually  done  in  January  and  Feb- 
ruary when  the  weather  is  pleasant.  This  work  is 
productive  of  much  good. 

Another  way  of  reaching  people  with  the  Gospel 
is  that  the  missionary  or  mission  worker  goes  alone  to 
the  different  homes  of  the  village,  and  there  patiently 
sits  down  with  the  father  or  the  elders  and  tells  and 
retells  the  Wonderful  Story.  The  missionary's  wife 
or  the  Zenana  worker  can  do  the  same  for  the  women 
members  of  the  household.  This  is  the  slow  way  of 
evangelization,  but  it  is  not  without  its  lasting  effects. 
The  difficulty  is  that  the  missionary  usually  has  so 
many  different  duties  that  he  cannot  find  sufficient 
time  to  do  this  work  as  it  should  be  done.  Here  is 
where  our  native  helpers  can  do  much  more  than  is 
now  being  done. 

It  is  in  a  way  unfortunate  that,  as  mission  work 
is  now  carried  on  in  India,  the  missionary  has  to  be 
burdened  with  so  very  many  different  things.  I  say 
has  to  be  burdened,  because  there  does  not  seem  to  be 
much  relief  in  sight,  as  long  as  the  missionary  must 
direct  and  account  for  every  little  detail.  We  hope 
that,  in  time,  at  least  the  business  details  of  the  work 
can  be  entrusted  to  other  hands.  He  is  practically  in 
the  position  of  the  apostles  of  the  early  Church  who 
had  to  neglect  the  spiritual  work  to  wait  on  tables. 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA  IO9 

It  seems  to  me  the  Indian  Archdeacon  was  about 
correct  when  he  said  to  a  missionary :  *'Your  control 
of  the  purse  string  gives  you  a  false  position,  and 
induces  mercenary  work.  It  burdens  the  spiritual 
man  with  a  mass  of  organization ;  and  it  blinds  the  un- 
spiritual  man  to  his  own  barrenness.  For  by  the 
power  of  the  purse  he  keeps  going  a  huge  machinery 
of  schools  and  preachers  and  out-stations,  and  never 
realizes  it  is  but  an  empty  shell.  Your  >work  is  not 
to  rule  but  to  inspire." 

There  are  many  indications  that  Hinduism  is  now 
preparing  to  make  her  last  stand  against  Christianity. 
It  has  dawned  upon  the  Brahmin,  and  he  is  practically 
Hinduism  personified,  that  Christianity  has  already 
made  such  inroads  as  to  endanger  the  whole  fabric 
of  the  religious  caste  system  of  which  he  is  the  chief 
administrator  as  well  as  beneficiary.  Hindu  propa- 
gandists are  going  about  right  here  in  Tirupati  and 
Puttur  stirring  up  the  people  against  Christianity,  tell- 
ing them  that  millions  and  millions  of  dollars  are  be- 
ing raised  in  America  to  be  sent  over  here  to  break 
down  caste.  Recently  in  Puttur  our  preachers  on 
several  occasions  have  been  hooted  from  the  streets 
of  the  village  because  of  this  agitation. 

More  than  ever,  then,  the  spiritual  side  of  the 
missionaries'  work  must  be  carried  forward.  India 
must  be  reborn  in  Christ.  To  this  end  Christ  must  be 
preached.  Hinduism  has  miserably  failed,  but  in 
her  death  grapple  with  Christianity,  she  can,  like  the 
mortally   wounded  tiger  of  the  jungle,  take  terrible 


no  OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 

vengeance.  India  indeed  needs  missionaries  of  every 
gift,  teachers,  doctors,  nurses,  and  all  the  rest,  but 
first  and  last,  she  needs  the  preacher  of  the  Word. 
She  needs  the  preacher  who  has  time  to  devote  him- 
self to  his  work.  He  should  have  time  to  listen 
patiently  to  the  inquirer.  He  should  not  seem  to  be 
in  a  hurry. 

At  this  point  I  would  make  an  observation,  which 
I  would  not  only  ask  you  carefully  to  note,  but  which 
I  would  submit  to  all  American  boards  having  mis- 
sions in  India.  I  think  most  of  your  missionaries  are 
overburdened  with  too  many  duties  in  addition  to 
their  spiritual  calling.  I  fear  that  the  apostolic  danger 
of  having  to  wait  on  tables  instead  of  preaching  the 
Gospel  threatens.  In  a  number  of  cases  I  was  as- 
tounded at  what  the  missionary  was  expected  to  do 
or  to  look  after.  He  was  to  be  preacher,  teacher, 
evangelist,  director,  financier,  administrator,  account- 
ant, builder,  peace  maker,  social  leader,  member  of 
committees  and  sub-committees  ad  infinitum.  And  all 
this  is  to  be  done  in  an  enervating  climate  of  nearly 
lOO  degrees  shade  temperature! 

My  heart  went  out  in  deep  sympathy  to  those 
who  wanted  to  be  relieved  of  some  of  the  routine  work 
and  give  themselves  more  to  the  spiritual  side  of  their 
calling.  The  missionaries  trained  for  the  pastoral 
ofifice  should  have  time  and  strength  to  devote  them- 
selves to  their  calling.  They  should  be  able  to  give 
themselves  wholly  to  this  work.  They  should  have 
time  to  sit  down  by  the  well,  or  on  the  door  step,  to 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA  III 


Rev.  Punitudu  and  Family. 


112  OUR   MISSION    FIELD   IN   INDIA 

Stand  in  the  market  place,  or  to  go  out  into  the  by- 
ways and  hedges,  or  to  wait  for  some  Brahmin  Nico- 
demus  who  would  come  by  night.  You  see  what  I 
mean!  They  need  time  to  preach  Christ  unto  the 
people,  not  only  indirectly,  but  directly  and  constantly. 
And  in  most  cases  I  found  that  this  is  what  their 
souls  yearn  to  do.  Boards !  see  that  your  theologically 
trained  men  and  women  are  unshackled  to  do  this 
crying  work  in  the  foreign  field.  Could  not  con- 
secrated laymen  have  charge  of  accounts  and  build- 
ing operations?  Could  they  not  direct  much  more  of 
the  school  work,  medical  work,  etc.  ?  You  may  re- 
ply, ''Yes,  but  all  this  will  take  more  men  and  women 
and  more  money."  True,  but  more  Gospel  will  be 
preached  and  your  work  will  the  sooner  grow  into  a 
spiritual  building.  When  the  fields  are  white  unto 
harvest  reaping  time  has  come.  Precious  time  should 
not  then  be  spent  in  getting  the  machinery  into  shape ; 
or  rather,  those  who  are  to  be  chief  reapers  should 
not  be  compelled  to  sit  in  the  office. 


CHAPTER  X 
The  Educational  Work 

THE  problem  of  educating  the  masses  in  India 
is  one  of  colossal  proportions.  It  will  hardly 
come  within  the  scope  of  this  report  to  even 
attempt  a  discussion  of  the  conditions  confronting  all 
education  in  India,  nor  yet  to  lay  down  plans  for 
meeting  the  situation.  The  field  is  so  vast  and  rami- 
fied that  any  attempt  to  discuss  it  would  take  us  far 
beyond  the  time  at  our  disposal.  Besides,  I  would 
not  presume  to  be  able  to  handle  this  subject  after 
but  four  months  of  observation  and  study.  I  am 
glad,  however,  to  be  able  to  refer  you  to  the  most 
recent  report  of  a  Commission  of  Inquiry  on  "Vil- 
lage Education  in  India."  This  report  will  give  you 
much  information  which  will  be  valuable  to  you  in 
helping  to  direct  this  very  important  part  of  our 
mission  work.  That  of  course  which  concerns  us 
chiefly  at  this  point  is  our  own  educational  work  in 
our  own  mission, 

I  think  our  mission  territory,  as  far  as  literacy  is 
concerned,  is  about  the  average  of  India.  This  being 
true  the  percentage  of  adult  illiteracy  is  quoted  as  89 
per  cent  among  men  and  99  per  cent  among  women. 
This  clearly  indicates  that  education  is  sorely  needed. 
Especially  our  Lutheran  Church  cannot  thrive  in  ig- 
norance.    "We   must   educate,   or  we   must  perish." 

(113) 


114  OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 

We  can  never  hold  out  against  the  idolatry  and  super- 
stition of  the  heathen  world  with  a  constituency  that 
cannot  read  and  write.  And  when  we  have  succeeded 
in  teaching  children  to  read  and  write,  it  is  said  that 
in  some  areas  75  per  cent  of  those  who  pass  through 
the  village  schools  have  to  be  classed  as  illiterate  ten 
years  later.  Dr.  Holland  is  authority  for  the  state- 
ment that  of  the  300,000  Christians  in  the  Telugu 
area  eighty  per  cent  are  illiterate.  So  it  is  not  only 
a  problem  of  leading  the  poor  natives  into  literacy 
but  also  of  keeping  them  there. 

In  our  area,  according  to  Hermannsburg's  report, 
there  are  about  2400  villages.  Over  against  this  num- 
ber we  do  not  have  a  hundred  native  teachers  at  the 
present  time,  and  the  number  of  scholars  is  perhaps 
not  many  more  than  half  the  entire  number  of  villages. 
While  it  is  true  there  are  a  number  of  Government 
and  Hindu  schools  throughout  the  district,  it  is  also 
true  that  we  have  the  opportunity  of  establishing 
schools  to  the  limits  of  our  ability  and  then  not  be 
able  to  cover  the  field. 

At  the  present  time  we  have  more  than  enough 
teachers  to  man  all  the  schools  we  have  established. 
I  know  you  will  ask,  "Then  why  does  not  the  India 
Conference  send  out  its  spare  teachers  to  establish 
schools."  In  the  first  place,  a  number  of  the  teachers 
are  not  capable  and  do  not  have  sufficient  initiative. 
The  Conference  is  trying  to  cull  out  the  inefficient 
ones.  In  the  second  place,  a  missionary  should  be 
on  the  ground  to  give  encouragement  and  direction  to 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD  IN    INDIA 


115 


12; 


Il6  OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 

the  work.  Where  this  cannot  be  done  the  wisdom  of 
estabHshing  schools  may  be  questioned. 

As  to  the  curriculum  of  the  elementary  schools 
it  goes  without  saying  that  reading,  writing  and  arith- 
metic are  the  secular  basis,  perhaps  with  the  addition 
of  nature  study,  handwork,  and  music.  The  **Grant- 
in-Aid  Code"  will  specify  as  to  these  things.  As  for 
religious  instruction  the  Madras  ''Educational  Code" 
says :  ''Such  grants  will  be  given  impartially  with- 
out reference  to  any  religious  instruction  to  all 
schools  which  impart  sound  secular  instruction." 
This  means  that  in  addition  to  the  secular  instruction 
religious  instruction  may  be  imparted  as  those  estab- 
lishing the  schools  may  direct.  However  no  compul- 
sion as  to  the  attendance  of  those  not  desiring  the  in- 
struction may  be  exercised.  Of  course  this  is  entirely 
satisfactory  to  us,  as  we  would  not  exercise  compul- 
sion in  religious  matters  if  we  had  the  power  to  do  so. 
Where  no  government  aid  is  sought  nothing  is  pre- 
scribed as  to  the  curriculum,  but  I  think  it  is  per- 
haps well  to  work  along  with  the  Government  in  this 
matter.  It  would  be  very  unwise  at  this  juncture 
of  affairs  in  India  not  to  co-operate  with  the  Govern- 
ment where  at  all  possible  in  education  and  in  the  main- 
tenance of  law  and  order. 

As  for  the  middle  or  secondary  and  high  schools, 
little  need  be  said  at  this  point  as  to  the  curriculum 
and  religious  instruction,  as  these  matters  can  best 
be  arranged  by  those  on  the  ground  in  India. 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA  II7 

But  I  think  yotir  Board  should  make  it  a  matter 
of  pohcy  to  encourage  the  more  gifted  pupils  to  go 
on  into  higher  education,  not  simply  with  the  view  of 
afterwards  becoming  workers  in  the  mission,  but  to 
take  up  some  useful  vocation  or  calling,  not  directly 
connected  with  mission  work.  I  think  too  many  of 
the  Christian  boys  in  these  schools  have  the  idea  that 
when  they  have  finished  their  education  they  must 
remain  within  the  walls  of  some  mission  compound. 
They  do  not  seem  to  realize  that  if  they  go  out  into 
the  world  as  Christian  men  they  can  exert  a  powerful 
influence  among  non-Christians.  Their  faith  does 
not  bind  them  to  caste  and  ceremonies.  They  are 
free.  And  they  should  make  use  of  this  freedom  to 
release  those  still  held  in  bondage.  Christian  lawyers, 
physicians,  artisans  and  business  men,  as  they  go  in 
and  out  among  the  heathen,  are  also  missionaries 
and  are  doing  a  great  work.  I  think  that  this  fact 
needs  to  be  emphasized,  especially  in  our  own  mis- 
sion. There  is  too  much  inclination  to  remain  a 
child  of  the  mission  when  one  should  be  a  man  in 
the  world.  Too  many  want  to  sit  within  the  gates 
when  they  should  go  out  into  the  by-ways.  Of 
course  in  many  cases  this  is  not  easy  because  of  the 
ostracism  of  the  Christian  in  many  heathen  communi- 
ties. But  this  is  a  cross  that  can  also  be  borne  for 
Jesus'  sake. 

As  to  buildings  and  equipment  for  the  high 
school  at  Tirupati  you  will  find  recommendations  in 
the  last  section  of  this  report. 


Il8  OUR    MISSION    FIELD   IN    INDIA 

In  regard  to  the  education  of  the  girls  of  our 
mission  area  you  wih  have  noticed  that  our  India 
Conference  resolved  to  re-open  the  girls'  school  at 
Gudur  about  Jan.  i,  1921.  It  was  only  the  importance 
of  this  work  that  hurried  the  Conference  to  this  de- 
cision. Besides,  some  of  the  girls  of  our  territory 
were  going  to  other  missions  for  their  education,  and 
in  some  instances,  were  thus  weaned  away  from  their 
own  church.  It  should  also  be  possible  for  the  young 
men  of  the  mission,  who  have  had  educational  ad- 
vantages to  find  a  wife  who  has  also  had  some  educa- 
tion, within  this  mission.  It  is  of  great  advantage, 
especially  where  both  are  able  to  teach  school. 

"But  any  scheme  of  education  for  the  Indian 
girl  should  be  based  on  a  wise  understanding  of  the 
tradition  of  womanhood  into  which  she  is  born,  of 
the  place  she  occupies  in  the  life  of  her  own  com- 
munity —  and  of  the  functions  she  is,  or  may  be  al- 
lowed to  perform.  The  girl  is  a  very  busy  member 
of  the  Indian  village  home.  She  draws  the  water 
from  the  well,  winnows  and  pounds  the  rice,  gathers 
firewood,  cleans  the  house, and  in  every  interval  of 
freedom  from  these  duties  carries  on  the  hip  the  in- 
evitable baby  of  whose  care  she  is  almost  entirely  ig- 
norant. Besides  being  maid-of-all-work,  she  is,  as  she 
grows  up,  a  great  cause  of  anxiety  to  her  parents  who 
must  arrange  for  her  marriage  (not  always  an  easy 
matter)  while  she  is  still  a  child.  These  two  causes, 
her  home  duties  and  her  early  marriage,  make  it  very 
difficult  to  secure  her  regular  attendance  at  the  village 


OtJk    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA  II9 


School  at  Gudur. 


120  OUR   MISSION   FIELD   IN   INDIA 

day  school.  Her  attendance  at  the  boarding  school 
is  generally  more  easily  secured.  This  is  not  sur- 
prising when  we  consider  that  sometimes  the  total 
cost,  and  almost  always  the  greater  part  of  the  cost, 
not  only  of  instruction,  but  of  maintenance,  is  de- 
frayed by  the  missionaries,  who  also  undertake  re- 
sponsibility for  the  girl's  personal  safety,  thus  re- 
lieving the  parents  of  a  double  anxiety."  —  Village 
Education  in  India. 

Miss  Laura  Nicholson  will  have  charge,  at  least 
temporarily,  of  our  girls'  school  at  Gudur.  It  is  pro- 
posed to  secure  an  Anglo-Indian  matron  who  will 
practically  live  with  the  girls  in  the  hostel.  They 
need  careful  guarding  and  patient  helping,  but  the 
work  must  be  done.  It  was  thought  we  could  open 
the  school  with  twenty  or  twenty-five  pupils.  We 
should  not  have  a  large  number  to  start  with,  as  we 
can  do  better  work  by  finding  our  way  in  this  (to  us) 
new  work. 

Perhaps  at  this  point  a  word  should  be  said  with 
reference  to  Christian  literature.  It  must  ever  be 
kept  in  mind  that  the  chief  purpose  of  our  schools 
is  to  help  the  natives  to  become  intelligent  Christian 
men  and  women.  Every  effort  in  this  direction  will 
be  in  fulfilment  of  the  great  Gospel  commission.  We 
cannot  teach  too  much  Bible.  We  cannot  present  the 
plain  way  of  salvation  too  often  or  too  completely. 
But  in  our  presentation  we  must  be  careful  to  keep 
within  the  scope  of  the  intelligence  of  the  people. 
In  India,  as  elsewhere,  much  that  is  intended  for  the 


OUR   MISSION   FIELD   IN   INDIA  121 

edification  of  the  common  people  fails  to  edify  be- 
cause it  is  beyond  the  grasp  of  the  simple  mind.  Our 
missionaries  should  be  urged  always  to  keep  this 
situation  before  them  in  their  teaching  and  evangel- 
istic work. 

I  think  it  would  be  a  great  help  to  place  a  set 
of  the  large  Lutheran  Biblical  charts  in  every  school 
with  the  Scripture  text  printed  in  Telugu,  and  that  a 
generous  use  be  made  of  the  small  chart  cards  with 
Telugu  text  and  short  Gospel  story  printed  on  the 
back,  also  in  Telugu.  Such  pictures  will  be  studied 
and  texts  read  and  re-read  in  every  literate  home. 
And  where  parents  or  children  cannot  read,  the  pic- 
ture will  serve  in  preaching  the  Gospel. 

When  one  sees  what  Christian  education  has 
done  for  this  poor  people  one  cannot  but  be  anxious 
that  the  good  work  be  extended  as  rapidly  as  possible. 
It  means  a  new  life  and  a  new  hope  to  ''souls  in 
heathen  darkness  lying."  Let  us  bend  every  effort  in 
behalf  of  this  blessed  work. 


CHAPTER  XI 

The  Medical  Work 

• 

APART  from  the  direct  preaching  of  the 
Word  there  is  no  department  of  Mission 
work  that  affords  better  opportunities  as 
an  evangehzing  agency  than  the  medical  work.  I 
was  profomidly  impressed  with  the  importance  and 
opportunities  of  this  work  as  I  watched  the  sick  and 
unfortunate  flock  into  the  hospitals  at  Guntur,  Rajah- 
mundry,  Chirala,  Rentichintala  and  Vellore.  I 
thought  of  the  opportunity  of  pointing  the  unfor- 
tunate to  the  Great  Physician  for  spiritual  help.  And 
I  noticed,  too,  how  well  the  opportunity  was  being 
used  in  practically  every  case.  From  the  waiting 
room  at  the  entrance  of  the  hospital  to  the  convales- 
cent quarters  the  Gospel  was  presented  in  word  or 
picture  by  those  in  attendance  or  especially  employed 
for  this  purpose.  Many  an  unfortunate  Hindu  or 
Mohammedan  has  learned  to  know  and  love  his 
Savior  during  his  stay  at  the  Christian  hospital.  Im- 
pressions are  made  upon  him  at  a  time  when  he  is 
most  impressionable.  I  cannot  see  how  the  unselfish 
work  done  by  the  medical  missions  in  India  is  going 
to  fail  to  help  silence  all  opposition  against  Christian- 
ity, at  least  on  the  part  of  thinking  men  and  women. 
I  do  not  see  how  any  one  can  go  away  from  these 
Good  Samaritan  institutions  and  not  be  kindly  dis- 

(122) 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD   IN    INDIA  ^  1^3 


posed  towards  those  who  have  so  skillfully  helped 
them  in  their  bodily  ills,  as  well  as  in  their  soul  dis- 
tress. I  have  seen  in  the  hospitals  at  Guntur  and 
Vellore  children  that  had  been  picked  up  as  poor 
crippled  waifs,  that  by  skillful  treatment  have  been 
restored  to  a  normal  condition  and  good  health.  I 
thought  of  the  power  of  the  Gospel  that  moved  some- 
one in  America  to  go  to  India  and  establish  a  hospital 
and  go  out  and  get  a  poor,  crippled,  heathen  child 
and  restore  it  to  bodily  strength  and  fill  it  with  spirit- 
ual life.  How  like  the  Master  when  He  took  the 
children  in  His  arms  and  blessed  them;  and  how  in 
obedience  to  His  command  to  go  into  all  the  world ! 
Indeed  at  times  it  seemed  to  me  that  I  had  been 
transported  back  to  the  time  of  Christ  and  that  He 
had  just  come  over  from  Galilee  to  India  and  was 
now  in  the  midst  of  the  lame,  the  halt  and  the  blind. 
And,  indeed,  the  thought  is  not  far  from  the  truth 
for  I  saw  on  the  wall  the  words:  ''In  Jesus'  Name." 
Here  were  His  people  doing  His  work  in  His  name. 
Oh !  how  very  nigh  has  the  Kingdom  come  to  those 
who  sit  in  darkness.  And  many  indeed  have  seen  the 
great  Light  and  have  come  to  the  brightness  of  its 
rising. 

In  our  mission,  those  of  us  on  the  field  are  most 
anxious  that  we  should  have  a  first-class  hospital, 
and  a  number  of  dispensaries  at  the  outer  stations. 
We  hope  and  pray  that  this  important  branch  of  our 
work  may  soon  be  inaugurated.  A  graduate  Chris- 
tian doctor  will  be  needed  to  start  the  work.     Money 


124 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD   IN   INDIA 


1-1 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA  I25 

will  be  needed  for  a  hospital.  But  we  do  not  think 
that  the  constituency  of  our  Synod  will  withhold  the 
requisites  for  a  single  moment,  once  it  becomes  ap- 
parent that  the  work  must  be  done.  If  we  are  going 
to  be  faithful  to  the  trust  committed  to  our  care  we 
must  take  hold. 

Some  of  our  brethren  in  America  seem  to  have 
the  idea  that  all  of  our  missionaries  should  have  some 
medical  training  before  beginning  work  in  our  foreign 
field.  The  training,  of  course,  will  not  come  amiss, 
but  medical  practice  has  reached  the  point,  also  in 
India,  where  the  partly  trained  and  uncertified  doctor 
has  little  or  no  standing,  and  cannot  prescribe  even 
in  urgent  cases.  Besides,  the  regular  pastor  mission- 
ary will  not  have  time  to  practice  medicine.  His  cur- 
riculum is  already  overcrowded. 

In  pioneer  w^ork  the  situation  would  be  somewhat 
dilTerent.  There  some  medical  training  w^ould  find  a 
practicable  field.  But  even  in  India,  in  organized 
w^ork  and  in  our  day,  specializing  is  almost  impera- 
tive. It  would  be  better  for  the  doctor  to  be  part 
missionary  than  for  the  missionary  to  be  part  doctor. 
We  must  have  medical,  men  and  women  on  the  field 
who  are  standard  in  their  profession  and  who  are 
filled  with  the  spirit  of  Christ.  Then  we  can  expect 
the  work  to  show  blessed  results.  But  until  we  reach 
this  point  we  cannot  expect  to  do  much  in  medical 
mission  work.  We  should  like  to  have  our  medically 
trained  brethren  in  America  know  that  here  we  have 
a   field  worthy  of   their  best   efiforts   in   the  medical 


126  OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 

work  as  well  as  worthy  of  the  best  efforts  as  Chris- 
tian men  and  women.  We  hope  that  the  hospital  of 
the  Ohio  Evangelical  Lutheran  Mission  will  soon 
become  a  reality,  and  that  it  will  compare  favorably 
with  any  hospital  of  surrounding  missions.  A  hos- 
pital and  the  leper  asylum  greatly  enlarged  would 
give  us  an  equipment  for  handling  most  cases  of 
bodily  distress  that  might  find  their  way  to  us. 

I  would,  in  this  connection,  call  your  attention  to 
a  resolution  adopted  at  the  meeting  of  the  National 
Missionary  Council  held  in  Calcutta  in  November  of 
1920.  The  resolution  indicates  what  those  familiar 
with  conditions  in  India  think  of  the  work  and  neces- 
sity of  medical  practice  in  this  land.  I  append  the 
resolution  : 

"Resolved,  That  an  appeal  be  made  to  Home 
Boards  for  a  large  number  of  nurses  and  doctors, 
especially  women,* to  strengthen  understaffed  mission 
hospitals  and  teaching  centers,  as  well  as  to  open  up 
new  work  in  needy  rural  areas.  The  Council  beheves 
that  at  the  present  time  medical  missions  have  unique 
opportunities  for  presenting  the  Gospel  message  to 
all  classes  of  people,  as  well  as  for  co-operating  with 
the  Government  in  all  matters  relating  to  community 
welfare." 


CHAPTER  XII 
The  Surrounding  Missions 

ACCORDING  to  instructions  1  had  intended 
to  visit  all  the  missions  of  other  Churches 
surrounding  our  own  territory.  However, 
owing  to  a  lack  of  time,  and  because  of  a  commission 
from  the  National  Lutheran  Council  to  visit  the  Goss- 
ner  field  in  the  North,  I  did  not  get  around.  In  this 
connection  I  might  add  that  there  is  a  certain  same- 
ness of  operation  among  the  missions,  so  that  visiting 
one  or  two  gives  one  an  idea  of  the  prevailing  stand- 
ards. I  was  glad  to  have  had  the  privilege  of  making 
a  rather  extensive  survey  of  the  Gossner  field ;  it 
afforded  an  opportunity  for  a  study  of  a  people  and 
conditions  not  quite  like  the  prevailing  types  in  the 
South.  Perhaps  therefore  the  lack  of  time  to  visit 
all  the  contiguous  missions  was  made  up  by  the 
opportunity  of  visiting  the  Gossner  field. 

After  our  own,  the  Guntur  mission  of  the  United 
Lutheran  Church  was  the  first  visited.  Your  com- 
missioner was  most  heartily  welcomed,  and  every 
courtesy  and  opportunity  possible  was  extended  him. 
Here  we  saw  a  mission  going  in  full  swing,  as  it  were. 
It  was  indeed  heartening  to  see  what  continued,  faith- 
ful effort  in  the  Gospel  could  accomplish  in  a  genera- 
tion or  two.  Only  a  prejudiced  antagonist  of  Chris- 
tianity could   fail  to  see  the  wonderful  transforming 

(127) 


128  OUR   MISSION   FIELD   IN   INDIA 

power  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  only  an 
enemy  of  the  Lutheran  Church  could  fail  to  see  the 
well-balanced  efficiency  of  the  Lutheran  way  of  teach- 
ing and  preaching  the  Good  Tidings.  It  was  certainly 
encouraging  and  inspiring  to  see  the  hundreds  of 
Indian  boys  and  girls  being  prepared  for  their  life 
work  under  Christian  influence.  It  was  a  pleasure  to 
address  the  students  of  Guntur  college  and  over  300 
girls  in  the  Sylvanus  Stahl  chapel.  The  medical  work 
of  this  mission  is  nothing  short  of  remarkable,  espe- 
cially in  the  way  in  which  the  spiritual  welfare  of 
every  patient  is  cared  for  along  with  the  ailments  of 
the  body.  It  would  be  a  pleasure  to  describe  in  detail 
the  extensive  work  done  in  this  mission,  but  I  must 
hasten  on.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  whether  in  the  col- 
lege, seminary,  medical  or  Zenana  work,  girls'  school, 
village  schools,  printery,  carpenter  shop,  or  out  in 
the  district,  "In  Jesus'  Name"  was  always  apparent. 

What  may  be  said  of  Guntur  may  also  be  said 
of  Rajahmundry,  the  other  extensive  center  of  the 
United  Church  in  India.  At  Rajahmundry,  your 
commissioner,  as  well  as  all  our  missionaries,  was 
privileged  to  attend  the  Joint  Conference  of  Guntur 
and  Rajahmundry,  and  to  witness  the  merging  of  the 
two  missions,  which  seems  to  have  been  successfully 
and  satisfactorily  done. 

While  the  work  at  Rajahmundry  is  not  as  ex- 
tensive as  at  Guntur  it  is  perhaps  in  some  respects 
more  intensive,  and  thus  the  missions  working  to- 
gether   will    supplement    each    other.      When    I    left 


OLK    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 


129 


Missionary  Residence  at  Venkatagiri. 


130  OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 

Rajahmundry  opposition  and  even  persecution  on  the 
part  of  the  heathen  was  developing  at  some  points ; 
at  the  same  time  there  was  evidence  of  a  mass  move- 
ment in  certain  districts,  twenty-five  and  thirty  con- 
verts presenting  themselves    for   Baptism  every  day. 

After  a  visit  of  a  few  days  it  would  be  pre- 
sumption to  attempt  to  criticize.  I  can  only  hope 
that  our  efforts  in  our  new  field  may  soon  become  as 
encouraging  as  these   United  Missions. 

Early  in  September  I  visited  the  Arcot  Mission 
of  the  Reformed  Church  with  headquarters  at  Vel- 
lore,  just  southwest  of  our  field.  This  mission  was 
founded  by  the  distinguished  Scudder  family.  This 
family  has  a  record  of  having  given  a  total  of  over 
800  years  of  service  to  the  cause  of  Christian  mis- 
sions. A  member  of  the  fourth  generation  of  the 
family  had  just  come  from  America,  preparatory  to 
taking  up  the  medical  mission  work.  In  this  mission, 
as  in  Guntur,  we  found  the  medical  branch  especially 
well  developed.  I  must  take  time  to  tell  you  of  a 
line  of  medical  work  that  especially  appealed  to  me. 

On  a  certain  day  of  the  week  Dr.  Ida  Scudder 
goes  out  into  the  country  with  her  automobile, 
equipped  with  a  dispensary  and  a  staff  of  Gospel 
workers.  The  afflicted  and  unfortunate,  knowing  the 
day  of  the  tour,  gather  at  different  points  along  the 
way-side  under  the  trees  and  await  the  coming  of  the 
"Samaritan  car."  On  the  arrival  of  the  car  the 
afflicted  are  led  or  carried  bv  their  friends  about  the 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IX    INDIA  I3I 

machine  where  Biblical  pictures  are  shown,  the 
Savior  is  pointed  out  as  the  Great  Healer,  a  hymn  is 
sung,  prayer  is  offered  and  the  bodily  ailments  treated 
in  a  skillful  way.  The  party  then  hurries  to  the  next 
group  and  so  on  until  the  afternoon  is  spent  and  sev- 
eral hundred  heathen  have  heard  the  Gospel  and  have 
had  their  bodily   ailments   treated. 

This  held  of  work  is  practically  limitless  in  India. 
I  hope  we  may  soon  have  like  "Samaritan  cars"  go- 
ing out  in  every  direction.  I  venture  these  cars  would 
soon  supplant  the  senseless  and  sensual  cars  of  jug- 
gernaut that  sally  forth  on  heathen  festival  days  to 
degrade  and  crush. 

South  of  our  field,  I  saw  something  of  the  work 
of  the  Wesleyan  Mission.  Rev.  D.  G.  M.  Leith,  at 
the  head  of  the  Kellett  Institute,  Madras,  who  did  so 
much  for  us  in  our  negotiations  for  the  Hermanns- 
burg  property,  belongs  to  this  mission.  I  am  sure 
we  w'ill  all  have  the  highest  respect  for  a  mission 
which  counts  as  its  leaders  men  of  the  type  of  Mr. 
Leith.  I  also  met  Dr.  Heuman  of  the  Danish  Lu- 
theran Qiurch.  the  Revs.  Bexell,  J.  Sandegren  and 
others  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church,  also  Revs. 
GuUiford  and  Macphail  of  the  Scottish  Free  Church, 
with  missions   in   Madras  and  vicinity. 

To  the  northeast  of  our  field  is  the  American 
Baptist  Telugu  Mission  with  headquarters  at  Nellore. 
I  had  planned  three  times  to  visit  this  mission  but 
was  hindered  each  time.     This  mission  is  in  somewhat 


13-2 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 


bo 


u 

o 
a. 
o 
O 


OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IX    IXUIA  1 33 

close  proximity  to  our  own,  and  there  is  occasionally 
a  little  friction  along  the  border,  but  our  Conference 
has  frowned  down  on  any  encroachment  from  our 
side.  If  this  same  rule  will  be  observed  by  the  Nellore 
folks  there  will  be  no  difficulty. 

To  the  north  and  west  of  us  the  London  Mis- 
sion, a  Congregational  society,  has  its  territory.  This 
field  also  I  did  not  visit.  But  I  met  representatives 
from  all  the  fields  surrounding  our  territory,  and  the 
amicable  relations  which  you  desired  to  have  estab- 
lished I  think  exist  at  the  present  time.  I  do  not 
think  that  there  is  a  disposition  on  the  part  of  anyone 
to  encroach  upon  or  hinder  our  work  in  any  way.  On 
the  contrary.  I  am  sure  the  surrounding  missions  will 
extend  every  courtesy  and  assistance  to  our  mission- 
aries as  they  one  by  one  enter  the  field.  In  fact  this 
has  already  been  done  in  a  number  of  instances. 
Perhaps  at  this  point  I  may  digress  enough  to  say 
that  it  was  my  observation  that  there  was  less  in- 
clination to  a  superficial  fellowship,  and  a  deeper 
regard  and  respect  for  fellow^  Christians  shown  in 
India  than  we  usually  find  in  America. 

Especially  noteworthy  is  the  unstinted  assistance 
and  valuable  counsel  given  us  by  the  missionaries  of 
the  Guntur  mission. 

This  mission  has  loaned  us  a  Secretary,  the  Rev. 
Burger,  who  has,  not  only  remained  on  our  field  in 
the  trying  times  of  the  War,  but  who  has  made  per- 
sonal  sacrifices   of   such   a  nature,   that,   knowing  of 


134  C)^'R    MISSION    FIELD   IN    INDIA 

them,  one  cannot  but  appreciate  his  interest  and  work 
in  holding  the  field  almost  single  handed.  Dr.  Mc- 
Caiily  will  continue  to  meet  with  our  Conference 
after  Rev.  Burger  returns  to  America  for  a  much 
needed  furlough. 


CHAPTER  XIII 
Recommendations 

IN  addition  to  the  survey  of  the  work  of  our  mis- 
sion as  presented  in  the  preceding  chapters  of 
this  rej>ort,  I  would  make  the  following  recom- 
mendations as  meriting  your  immediate  consideration 
and  action.  I  realize  that  the  program  submitted 
is  rather  an  extensive  one  and  will  require  consider- 
able man-power  and  financial  outlay  from  our  Synod 
which  is  not  yet  accustomed  to  extensive  work  in  the 
foreign  field.  But  we  have  waited  long  for  such  an 
opportunity,  and  now  that  it  has  come  and  we  have 
accepted  it,  it  behooves  us  to  fully  occupy  the  field 
or  turn  it  over  to  those  who  will. 

Consider  that  the  field  has  already  waited  for 
missionaries  for  six  long  years.  We  must  take  hold 
energetically  or  much  of  the  work  done  by  the  former 
missionaries  will  have  to  be  done  over  again.  I  know 
that  within  the  Joint  Synod  the  friends  and  supv- 
porters  of  foreign  missions  will  not  want  you  to  stop 
short  of  adequately  meeting  the  needs  of  the  field, 
even  if  the  annual  budget  must  be  doubled  or  even 
trebled.  The  Joint  Synod  with  its  146,000  communi- 
cant members  will  surely  not  consider  an  average  of 
one  dollar  per  member  per  year  for  foreign  mis- 
sions an  extravagant  contribution.  Your  appropria- 
tion now  is  but  $30,000  per  year. 


136  OUR    MISSION    FIELD    IN    INDIA 

1.  In  the  first  place  I  would  recommend  that 
the  entire  field  be  manned  with  missionaries  as  soon 
as  possible.  This  will  mean  the  placing  of  eleven 
male  missionaries  in  the  field,  or  six  in  addition  to 
those  now  there  or  on  the  way.  Or,  divided  among 
the  stations,  it  will  mean  a  man  at  each  of  the  sta- 
tions but  Rapur,  and  two  men  at  both  Tirupati  and 
Nayudupet,  one  at  the  head  of  the  High  School  and 
the  other  at  the  head  of  the  Seminary.  And  it  might 
soon  become  necessary  to  place  two  men  on  the  teach- 
ing force  of  the  Seminary,  and  eventually  also  a 
missionary  at  Rapur. 

2.  That  a  competent  man  be  placed  at  the  head 
of  the  industrial  work  at  Nayudupet. 

3.  That,  if  a  suitable  man  can  be  found  for 
agricultural  work,  his  course  be  finished  at  the  agri- 
cultural college  at  Coimbatore  in  order  that  he  may 
become  familiar  with  India  agricultural  conditions 
before  beginning  the  work;  and  that  he  study  the 
development  of  the  agricultural  work  about  to  be 
undertaken  at  Guntur. 

4.  That  if  the  repairs  and  new  building  projects 
recommended  be  authorized  a  man  with  some  archi- 
tectural knowledge  and  practical  building  experience 
be  given  charge  of  all  repair  and  building  operations 
in  the  mission.  Under  existing  conditions  I  am  sure 
a  competent  man  would  more  than  save  his  salary 
in  expediting  and  economizing  the  construction. 

5.  That  as  soon  as  feasible  arrangements  be 
made  to  give  at  least  all  primary  schools  such  super- 


OUR  MISSION  FIELD  IN   INDIA  I37 

vision  as  will  best  serve  the  interests  of  pupils  and 
teachers. 

6.  That  a  lady  principal  be  placed  at  the  head 
of  the  Girls'  School  at  Gudur,  relieving  Miss  Nichol- 
son for  nurse  work. 

7.  That  a  Zenana  and  Bible  teacher  have  in 
charge  the  preparation  of  native  Bible  women  and 
Zenana  workers. 

8.  That  at  least  one  properly  equipped  hospital 
be  established  within  the  mission,  Hkely  at  Tirupati, 
where  we  have  a  suitable  piece  of  land;  and  that  a 
graduate  doctor  be  placed  at  the  head  of  the  institu- 
tion with  Miss  Nicholson  as  head  nurse ;  and  that  the 
Board  look  forward  to  the  establishment  of  a  second 
hospital  so  that  there  will  be  one  for  men  and  one  for 
women. 

9.  That  a  home  for  aged  widows  and  orphans 
be  opened  at  Venkatagiri  with  the  local  missionary 
in  charge. 

10.  That  the  high  school  at  Tirupati  be  rebuilt 
and  equipped  at  an  approximate  cost  of  $20,000.00 
to  the  Synod. 

11.  That  the  entire  mission  be  equipped  with 
the  large  and  small  Biblical  charts  with  texts  printed 
in  Telugu. 

12.  That  the  brass  bands  at  the  boys'  schools 
at  Puttur,  Tirupati  and  Nayudupet  be  re-equipped 
with  instruments. 


138  OUR  MISSION  FIELD  IN  INDIA 

13.  That  the  project  of  a  Joint  Lutheran  Sem- 
inary in  India  be  at  least  discussed  with  the  Lutheran 
missions  and  boards  interested. 

14.  That  the  request  for  automobiles  by  the 
India  Conference  be  granted,  if  funds  will  allow. 

15.  That  the  Rev.  D.  G.  M.  Leith  of  the  Kellett 
Institute,  Madras,  be  extended  a  hearty  vote  of  thanks 
for  the  services  he  has  rendered  on  our  behalf  in  our 
mission  work  in  the  Madras  Presidency. 

16.  That  the  United  Lutheran  Church  Foreign 
Board  as  well  as  the  missionaries,  especially  the  Rev. 
S.  C.  Burger,  be  given  a  hearty  vote  of  thanks  for 
the  interest  and  assistance  they  have  given  us  during 
the  trying  times  of  the  war  and  subsequently. 

In  conclusion  I  would  state  that  the  Lord  has 
been  very  merciful  to  me  and  has  granted  me  excep- 
tionally good  health  while  upon  your  commission; 
and  while  I  was  reluctant  to  leave  my  home  and  work 
in  America,  I  am  now  glad  that  I  followed  your  call 
to  this  very  important  work.  While  at  times  it  pre- 
sented many  difficulties  and  trying  situations,  it  never- 
theless afforded  a  rich  experience  and  an  opportunity 
to  do  some  little  work  among  the  great  mass  of 
heathen  people  in  the  world.  For  this  experience  and 
deepening  of  my  own  spiritual  life  I  am  profoundly 
thankful,  and  I  trust  that  what  little  I  have  been 
enabled  to  do  will  help  you  in  directing  this  important 
work,  and  will  result  in  the  extension  of  the  kingdom 
of  our  Lord. 


OUR  MISSION   FIELD  IN   INDIA  1 39 

For  your  prayers  as  they  followed  me  around 
the  world  I  am  grateful.  I  know  they  have  been 
answered.  For  the  provision  you  made  for  my  tem- 
poral wants  and  those  of  my  family  I  thank  you. 
And  with  all  honor  and  praise  to  our  Lord  I  herewith 
cheerfully  submit  this  report  for  your  consideration 
and  action. 

(Signed) 

C.  V.  Sheatsley. 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  I  PAGE 

General   Conditions   in   India 5 

CHAPTER  II 
Living-   Conditions    17 

CHAPTER  III 
Family  Life    27 

CHAPTER  IV 
Morals  and   Religion 38 

CHAPTER  V 
Women  in   India .- 44 

CHAPTER  VI 

The  Work  and  Property  of  the  Hermannsburg  Mission 

Society    55 

CHAPTER  VII 
Inspection   of  our   Mission   Stations 64 

CHAPTER  VIII 
Organization  of  the   Forces 88 


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142  OUR  MISSION   FIELD  IN   INDIA 

CHAPTER  IX  PAGE 

The   Evangelistic   Work 101 

CHAPTER  X 
The   Educational   Work 113 

CHAPTER  XI 
The  Medical  Work 12-2 

CHAPTER  XII 
The   Surrounding  ^Missions 127 

CHAPTER  XIII 
Recommendations    136 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


PAGE 

Missionary  Residence  at  Tirupati " 

Church    at    Puttur 10 

Huts  of  the  Outcastes 14 

Starting  to   Plow 19 

Two  Grinding  at  the  Mill 22 

Teachers'    Residences    25 

In  the  Cow   Pasture 29 

A  Tirupati  Idol 35 

Hindu  Temple  at  Kalahasti 40 

An   India   Honeymoon 45 

Lace  School  at  Gudur 48 

Middle  School  at  Puttur 52 

Missionary  Residence   S7 

Village  School    62 

Map  of  our  Mission   Field 65 

A   Welcome  Arch (t9 

Missionary  Residence  at  Tirupati 72 

Old  Chapel  at  Gudur 77 

Missionary  Residence  at  Vacadu 80 

Rest  Bungalow  at  Kodai-Kanal So 

American   Missionaries    90 

Missionary  Residence  at  Puttur 96 

After   Church   at   Nayudupet 102 

Interior  of  Church  at  Nayudupet 107 

Rev.  Punitudu  and  Family Ill 

Middle   School   at    Nayudupet 115 

School  at  Gudur 119 

Ten  Lepers  of  Kodur 124 

Missionary  Residence  at  Venkatagiri 129 

Group   of   Christian   Daughters 182 


(143) 


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